Two men injured in ‘beds in sheds’ fire
The Fire Service has warned of the dangers of outbuildings being used as living accommodation after two men were rescued from a shed being used as a bedsit in Melfort Road, Thornton Heath on 2nd October.
The two men suffered burns and smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital for treatment.
Watch Manager Simon Chalk, said: “We acted really quickly to get the two unconscious men out of the severe fire. The outhouse was completely gutted and we made sure the fire didn’t spread further. The cause of the fire is now under investigation.”
Statistics show that over the last three years there have been 235 fires in outbuildings that have people living in them when they should not have been. Four people have died, and 45 have suffered serious injuries.
Chair of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority’s Strategy Committee Cllr Crada Onuegbu said: “The issue of “beds in sheds,” as well as people living in other unsuitable buildings, continues to be a concern, as unscrupulous landlords looking to make a quick buck put lives at risk in shoddy accommodation. These figures are a stark reminder that properties like these are potentially lethal fire traps. It’s inevitable that people living in them rely on far riskier ways of heating, cooking and lighting but unfortunately fire safety is not a priority for the landlords who illegally rent them out. It’s not only people living in this accommodation whose lives are being put in danger. There’s also an increased risk to our firefighters if they need to carry out life-saving rescues in buildings that are in a state of dereliction and that were never intended to be used as sleeping accommodation.”