Tower block blaze caused by smoking - fire brigade

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has issued a safety warning about smoking after a flat fire in a 45-storey skyscraper in east London.

Mobile phone footage captured clouds of black smoke billowing into the air as flames ripped through the 25th floor property in Charrington Tower on Biscayne Avenue, Blackwall, on Monday afternoon.

Nobody was injured but the flat was partly destroyed.

After initial investigations, the fire is thought to have been caused by the unsafe disposal of a cigarette or cigar, LFB said.

LFB said it received the first emergency call to the property on the New Providence Wharf Development just before 13:30 BST and confirmed it was brought under control by 14:50.

At its height, about 70 firefighters fought the flames and a 64-metre turntable ladder was used as an observation tower.

An eyewitness described how debris had fallen from the balcony of the flat, while glass shattered, causing the flames to expand.

The property manager, Ballymore, said most residents had been allowed back into their homes once the fire was out, but some were being housed elsewhere while repairs were carried out.

LFB said it was treating the fire as an accident and warned people to take care when extinguishing cigarettes.

A spokesperson said: "If you smoke it is vitally important you stub it right out, preferably in an ashtray.

"Always ensure your cigarette is completely out when you’ve finished smoking it. If you don’t, you risk causing a fire as you don’t know what it may land on, which could potentially start a fire."

LFB is urging people who smoke to follow this advice:

• Smoke outside, rather than in the home, but make sure cigarettes are properly extinguished and disposed of
• Never smoke in bed, and avoid smoking on arm chairs and sofas
• Take extra care when you are tired, taking prescription drugs or if you have been drinking alcohol
• Use proper ashtrays, which cannot tip over

According to the National Fire Chiefs Council, fires in the home caused by smoking materials account for the largest proportion of fatalities in the UK - 65 of the 185 fire deaths in England in 2022-23 were due to accidental fires caused by sparks from cigarettes of cigars.

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