Images of house fire aftermath come with a warning
FIREFIGHTERS have shared pictures of the aftermath of a house fire to illustrate how rapidly flames can take hold of a home – and how a few simple precautions can help prevent a tragedy.
The images were posted by a Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service crew which had battled to bring the fire under control.
The fire started in a utility room at the unidentified Leicestershire property and quickly spread to the kitchen, causing major damage to the two rooms and serious smoke damage.
One image shared by the team at Western Fire station showed the lounge relatively unaffected, as this was the only room to have the door closed.
Smoke spread to a neighbouring property.
Crews from Western, Southern and Birstall fire stations were called to the incident on the night of November 10.
Western station advised residents in a post on Facebook to be careful about the use of tumble dryers, removing lint from the machine after every load and not covering any vents or openings on the device.
Other advice is to sweep or vacuum around the dryer to prevent fluff buildup and not to use the machine while sleeping or when you are about to go out.
They should also be cleaned regularly, by wiping with a wet cloth. Condenser models should have the heat exchangers cleaned at least five times a year.
In September, a tumble dryer caught fire in an outbuilding at a Leicester property, with the structure “well alight” when fire crews arrived. The dryer was destroyed and the room was damaged.
Last month, an elderly man suffered the effects of smoke inhalation after a fire involving a house in Wigston.
In another incident, just days ago, a home in Leicester was damaged after a fire spread from a car to a neighbouring house.
One image showed the lounge relatively unaffected, as this was the only room to have the door closed