A fire started at a flat in Harrow from a candle being used to celebrate Diwali , firefighters believe.
They were called to Northolt Road on Thursday (October 19) to deal with a bedroom fire in a block of flats in which 70 people were evacuated.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) has reminded Londoners to take extra care during the Hindu festival of lights.
The Brigade believes the candle was in a shrine which was left unattended when the occupants left the first floor property.
London Fire Brigade stories
Four engines and 20 firefighters from Northolt, Harrow and Wembley attended the six-storey block, at around 9.55pm.
The fire damaged part of the bedroom but the flames were under control around an hour later.
Watch Manager Pat Flynn, who was at the scene, said: “This fire could have been a lot worse but fortunately a quick-thinking neighbour rang the Brigade immediately after seeing flames inside the flat.
“Crews arrived on scene very quickly and managed to contain the fire to the bedroom and stopped it spreading to the rest of the property.
“With Diwali celebrations continuing today (Friday, October 20) and tomorrow we would urge Londoners to never leave candles unattended.
“This was a severe fire and shows even a small candle left unattended can easily cause tremendous damage.”
LFB’s top candle safety tips
- Keep candles/tea lights away from curtains, furniture and anything else that can catch fire.
- Keep loose clothing and hair away from candles/tea lights when they are lit
- Always place your candles/tea lights in a suitable fire resistant candleholder
- Make sure the candleholder holds the candle/tea light firmly and is on a flat and stable surface to stop it falling over
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