Bloke’s Close Call After Candle Sparks Kitchen Blaze in Reading
Firefighters Race to Whitley Wood Home
Fire crews from Reading Whitley Wood and Wokingham Road jumped into action just before 7pm tonight. They were called to a detached property on Farmers Close after a fire broke out in the kitchen.
Man’s Lucky Escape After Failed DIY Fire Fight
The blaze reportedly started when a candle set the kitchen blind alight. The man, home alone at the time, tried to tackle the flames himself using a powdered extinguisher before alerting the fire service.
He was treated at the scene by firefighters, who administered oxygen, as well as by a paramedic for smoke inhalation. Thankfully, he made a lucky escape.
Swift Action Stops Fire Spreading
One crew, decked out in breathing apparatus, used a hose reel to douse the flames quickly. Their rapid response prevented the fire from spreading to other rooms and neighbouring houses.
The kitchen suffered substantial fire damage, while the entire house was left heavily smoke-logged from a mix of smoke and dry powder extinguisher residue.
Fire Service Issues Safety Warning
A Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said: “We received the call about a domestic blaze at 6:43pm on Farmers Close. Crews from Whitley Wood and Wokingham Road attended and put out the fire relatively quickly.
“Our advice is always to leave the kitchen, close the door, get everyone out of the property and call 999. We have the right equipment to deal with these fires safely.
“It’s all too common these days for people to get injured trying to tackle fires themselves.
This man was very lucky. He was home alone, but I’m sure his wife and child will have some questions when they get home.”
