Neighbours save residents from Plumstead house fire

9:00am Thursday 30th October 2008

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RESIDENTS saved their neighbours from a house fire in the nick of time, a firefighter says.

A sofa had been pushed up against the door of their home in Sandy Hill Road, Plumstead, before being set alight.

The flames spread to the downstairs front window and then inside the property from the ground floor to the loft.

But there was no smoke alarm fitted in the house so the three people sleeping inside were not woken up until neighbours spotted what was happening.

They banged on the door and made sure the three people, including a child who is believed to be around three-years-old, got out of the house.

Watch manager Paul Smith, from East Greenwich fire station, says the neighbours’ actions were crucial.

Mr Smith said: “Within another two minutes I would have been very hard pushed to say whether they would have survived.

“When they did get out the fire was well established.

“They were very lucky that the neighbours were about and that they were the kind to knock on doors.”

One person was taken to hospital by ambulance after sustaining minor hand injuries.

Fire crews from East Greenwich, Greenwich and Lee Green arrived at the scene at about 2am and were there until 5am this morning (October 30).

The blaze is now being investigated by police.

• Anyone who wants a free home fire safety check should call the London Fire Brigade on 08000 284428.