Man Led To Safety From Fire In Bletchley Flat

Fire fighters are urging people to take extra care in the kitchen following a fire at a block of flats in Bletchley on Friday night. They had to lead a man to safety from the 14th floor after he left his grill on and fell asleep.

Crews from Bletchley, Great Holm and Broughton were called to Mellish Court, in Melrose Avenue, just before 11.30pm. A neighbour heard the man's smoke alarm - which was fitted by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service during a recent community safety campaign visit - going off.

Fire fighters handed the man into the care of paramedics, and used a large fan to clear the smoke from his flat.

top 10 tips:

1. Carry out a weekly check on your smoke alarms by pushing the "test" button.
2. Don't start cooking if you are tired or have been drinking alcohol.
3. Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order. A build-up of fat and grease can easily lead to a fire.
4. Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob. Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach to keep them safe.
5. Take care if you are wearing loose clothing - this can easily catch fire.
6. Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.
7. Double-check the cooker is off when you have finished cooking.
8. If you need to leave the kitchen while cooking, take pans off the heat or turn the heat right down to avoid risk.
9. Keep electrical leads and appliances away from water.
10. Check toasters are clean and placed away from curtains and kitchen rolls.

remember - you snooze, you can loose your life