Essex County Fire & Rescue has issued advice about smoking after attending a cigarette-started fire in Great Dunmow yesterday morning (May 28).
Crews from Braintree, Dunmow and Stansted were called to a property in Willow Road around 11.40am, after a discarded cigarette caused a kitchen fire.
On arrival, firefighters reported that the house was 50% smoke-logged but managed to extinguish the blaze by 12.10pm.
Positive pressure ventilation fans were then used to clear the house of smoke.
An investigation has since found the cause of the fire to be accidental, after a cigarette, which was not completely out, was thrown in a plastic bin.
To avoid similar incidents, the service says it is important to make sure all cigarettes are fully extinguished, to never leave them unattended, use a heavy ashtray that cannot tip over easily, and to fit and maintain a working fire alarm.
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