Domestic building fire

At 12.22am on Thursday (10) two crews from Luton and a crew from Stopsley and an incident command unit was called to a house fire in Chapel Street, Luton.  

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a triple extension ladder, two hose reels and jets to extinguish the fire and fans to clear the smoke. Two residents escaped before FRS arrived and a further two people were rescued from the property. Three casualties were conveyed to hospital by the ambulance service.  

A full investigation was undertaken once the fire had been extinguished. BFRS Fire Scene Investigator, James West said: “Our investigation determined that the fire was of accidental nature and the most probable cause was a faulty extension lead, or charging cable plugged within the extension lead.  

“Extension leads and charging cables are an integral part of the electrical system in most homes. They provide the flexibility to connect multiple devices to a single power source, making our lives more convenient. However, using extension leads or charging cables without regular inspections can pose safety risks.   

“We advise that you check your extension leads and charging cables for any signs of wear and tear and ensure that you don’t overload extension leads and use them in line with the manufacture’s recommendations. We would also advise using the power adaptors that were supplied with appliances or phones and recommend buying extension cables with surge protection-built in.”  

For further information about electrical fire safety - Electrical Fire Safety | Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (bedsfire.gov.uk)