Seventeen Rescued from a Cheam care home Fire

London Fire Brigade Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued  residents and staff from a fire at a nursing home on The Avenue in Cheam, Sutton, SM2, during the early hours of the morning.

Sutton police officers also assisted in the rescue, helping evacuate residents from the ground floor while firefighters rescued those residents on the fire affected first floor of the home.

The fire left the nursing home’s roof gutted and badly damaged the first floor of the two storey home.

In total 14 residents – five from the fire affected first floor and nine from the ground floor – were rescued from the building, along with three members of staff.

Station Manager Simon Brownings who was at the scene said: “When they arrived our crews were faced with a serious fire which was affecting the top floor and roof space of the nursing home. Firefighters worked hard to bring it under control and thankfully the property was safely evacuated with no injuries to anyone involved.”

Six fire engines and around 30 firefighters from Mitcham, New Malden, Wallington, Sutton and Purley fire stations attended the incident, along with an aerial ladder platform from Wimbledon.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice: Looking after vulnerable persons is a huge responsibility and their safety in times of emergency must always be a top priority. A Fire Risk Assessment from a fully qualified, third party competent person is the first safeguard. Preventing a Fire is the priority and a professional Fire Risk Assessment will identify all areas of deficiency – these should be acted upon as outlined to reduce the risk of Fire. If the worst happens and a Fire does break out the Fire Safety Emergency Plan supplied will reflect the needs of the vulnerable persons and get them out of the premise as quickly and as safely as possible along with the Staff of course!. Let the Fire Safety Experts do their job – to read more click here