Fire from discarded cigarette spread to gas main at Colchester home
When firefighters arrived they found the decking of a property on fire
Smokers are being warned to safely and thoroughly dispose of cigarettes after a fire in Colchester was caused by a discarded cigarette.
Essex Fire and Rescue service were called out to Erica Walk on Monday afternoon (12 May). When firefighters arrived they found the decking of a terraced property on fire, which had spread to the gas meter and gas main.
Crew Manager Dave Farrant said: "When we arrived, the property was full of smoke which was coming in through the windows. Where the fire had spread to the gas main, the crew worked quickly to evacuate nearby properties and isolate the gas.
"If you smoke, please make sure to properly stub out your cigarette before discarding it, as it only takes a small ember from the lit cigarette to start a fire.
“With the warmer weather we’ve been having, it’s especially important to double check cigarettes are properly extinguished as the dry conditions will help a fire spread faster. In this case we believe the discarded cigarette caught the dry timber of the decking alight."