Fire at MyBaSE1 flats in Southwark Bridge Road

http://london-se1.co.uk/news/view/6977 - Now apparently under control. All the more reason to keep our local fire station, which was handily able to send an engine from just 100 yards or so up SBR.

I'm puzzled only why other units had to come from as far afield as Whitechapel, which must've taken a good 15min even with sirens and quiet Sunday evening roads. Is the Southwark crew already being run down ahead of the threatened closure?

Relieved anyway as my flat, though I'm not there tonight and it's not part of that block, is only just out of view in the picture! Trust no injuries were incurred either.

Southwark only has one fire appliance, so if more engines are needed at an incident they'll have to come from other stations.

The other SE1 fire stations are Lambeth, Dockhead and Old Kent Road.

In this instance Lambeth sent two appliances, so three of the five engines at the scene were from local SE1 stations.

Dowgate fire station is close to the north end of Southwark Bridge.

James Hatts wrote:

Southwark only has one fire appliance

Sad state of affairs for a building that looks like it was designed for a good half-dozen of them.

I thought I'd seen more than one parked behind the half-glazed doors, but maybe those were either visitors or museum pieces then.

Those one wishes to kill, one first makes weaker.

I walked passed this development a couple of weeks back and saw people in one apartment frantically opening windows and fanning the air as smoke billowed off a balcony. If this was due to a barbecue I hope they learn their lesson.

The property management company sent a letter a week ago to highlight the danger of bbq's especially given the balconies have wodden cladding.

While earlier on Sunday, this happened off the Walworth Road -

Six fire engines and 35 firefighters and officers were called to a fire in a disused building on Manor Place, Walworth in the early hours of this morning.

The fire damaged the whole of the three storey building. Around 10 people left the building before the Brigade arrived. Three men were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.

The Brigade was called at 0413 and the fire was under control by 0705. Fire crews from Lambeth, Westminster, Peckham, Southwark and Old Kent Road fire stations attended the incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Tolstoy wrote:

I walked passed this development a couple of weeks back and saw people in one apartment frantically opening windows and fanning the air as smoke billowed off a balcony. If this was due to a barbecue I hope they learn their lesson.

Last night the police were saying it was arson and was started deliberately while the flat was unoccupied.

Been in contact with a friend who lives in that building

"Feel free to post. The fire started on the first floor. The fire was not started by a BBQ, it started in the flat, on a mattress. Police and fire service were at the flat till two in the morning investigating the cause. The wet riser in the block had the brass stoppers/caps on each floor stolen by metal thieves therefore the block was flooded. A number of fire engines were required because of the potential spread.

The idiots, getting in the way, taking pictures for facebook were particularly annoying."

Enforcement order issued by fire brigade:
http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/notice_detail.asp?id=164655