A discarded cigarette is believed to have caused a fire that led to the structural failure of a brick outbuilding at an east London hotel.
The blaze broke out at a commercial property on Berwick Pond Road in Rainham about 1pm yesterday (July 13), leading crews to tackle flames spreading across an outbuilding and open ground.
London Fire Brigade has now renewed its smoking safety advice following the incident, which involved 12 engines and around 80 firefighters from Wennington, Hornchurch, Barking and other nearby stations.
The fire was eventually brought under control almost three hours later, at 3.54pm.
Investigators believe the fire was caused accidentally by the unsafe disposal of a cigarette.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "If you're a smoker, it’s absolutely vital you ensure your cigarette is completely out when you’ve finished smoking it.
"If you don’t, you risk causing a fire which could not only destroy your home but also cost you your life.
READ MORE:
- Missed out on the London Marathon ballot? Here's what you can do next
- London pizzeria named the best in Europe for the third year running
- All the TfL London buses timetable changes from July 2026
"With the dry weather conditions that London has been seeing, any fire can quickly get out of control.
"It only takes a few sparks to ignite dry grass, shrubs, or litter and many grass and land fires are caused by discarded cigarettes.
"Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows and if you are smoking on your balcony, have an ashtray to hand, and don’t flick your ashes off the balcony."
The fire caused a structural collapse of the outbuilding, and crews worked to safely cool a number of cylinders that were exposed to increased heat.
No injuries were reported.
Share