Woman Taken To Hospital After Glasgow Fire

A woman was taken to hospital after a small fire in the kitchen of a flat in north-west Glasgow on Sunday afternoon.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews were sent to Glaive Road in the Knightswood area of the city shortly after 12 noon.

An appliance from Knightswood Community Fire Station reached the scene less than four minutes later and the first responders were quickly joined by two further appliances from nearby Clydebank.

Watch Manager David Beaton, the incident commander, said: “Two firefighters entered the property in breathing apparatus and they quickly extinguished a small fire in the kitchen.

“Our crews assisted a woman who appeared to be suffering from shock. We requested an ambulance and she was taken for a precautionary check-up at the Western Infirmary.

“Thankfully this home was protected by working smoke alarms – that gave early warning of the danger and meant firefighters could get there in time to prevent the fire spreading.”

SFRS crews are frequently called to incidents that could have been prevented if basic steps had been taken to reduce common risks.

With even a small fire producing potentially lethal smoke that can travel throughout a property, firefighters are eager for the public to take action to protect themselves, the people close to them and the wider community.

Watch Manager Beaton continued: “Any fire in the home is dangerous though and even when it’s put out quickly it can still be extremely distressing for those involved.

“That’s why we need everyone to consider the risks and take simple steps we know prevent fires from happening.

“Most house fires start in the kitchen. Anyone can get distracted by a knock at the door or a ringing phone and when that happens it only takes a moment for a fire to start.

“We all need to get into the habit of taking any pots or pans off the heat and making sure the grill and hob are switched off whenever we step away from the cooker.”

The ongoing Join Scotland’s Fight Against Fire campaign sees firefighters appeal for people to think of fire safety and help SFRS reach those who could benefit from its advice and support.

Crews throughout the country regularly conduct free home fire safety visits, which not only reduce the chance of a fire starting, but also provide vulnerable residents with reassurance that their home is fire safe.

Firefighters conducting the visits even install free smoke alarms where these are found to be needed.

Watch Manager Beaton said: “If anyone thinks they or someone they know might be at increased risk of experiencing a fire then we want them to get in touch with us.

“By arranging a free home fire safety visit you will give our crews the chance to help residents identify risks and take very simple action to prevent a fire starting or causing a tragedy.

“It is easy to do and we always arrange for a visit to take place at a time that suits the person. It could make all the difference.”