Fire at hostel in Leyton, Waltham Forest, blamed on cigarette

Wednesday, February 1, 2012
7:38 AM

A cigarette left to burn is being blamed for a fire at a 10-storey building in Leyton, Waltham Forest.

Sixty residents fled the hostel in Lea Bridge Road when fire broke out shortly after 5.30pm on Tuesday.

Six fire engines and around 30 firefighters tackled the blaze, which was under control by 7.10pm.

A flat on the fourth floor of the block was gutted by the fire but there were no injuries.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “We believe the fire was caused by a cigarette that was left unattended.

“Cigarettes can cause a huge amount of fire damage if they’re not properly disposed of. Hundreds of fires are caused by cigarettes each year in London and many of them could be easily avoided if smokers took better care.

“Thankfully the flats had working smoke alarms that quickly alerted the residents to the fire. Having a smoke alarm is essential as it provides vital early warning if a fire breaks out and allows you to get out in time.”