Family of eleven make narrow escape after their house goes up in flames

A family of 11 made a lucky escape after a fire thought to have been started by a candle broke out in their home last Tuesday morning.

The two adults and nine children were alerted to the fire after one of three smoke alarms went off in their home in Ashtead Road, Clapton. It is understood the candle was lit because the family were celebrating the week-long Jewish festival of Passover.

Ten firefighters spent two to three hours tackling the blaze after they were called out at 7.47am. A large part of the ground floor was badly damaged in the fire.

Neil Crossfield, a watch manager from the London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) fire investigation unit, who investigated the blaze, said:

“The family were woken by a smoke alarm after a candle dropped off a large candle holder onto the dining table.

“The table was laid with a plastic cover and this produced thick clouds of acrid smoke.”

Stoke Newington fire station watch manager Richard Barron said: “Despite the family having three smoke alarms in their house, only one was working. The firefighters installed two new smoke alarms. We advise people to check their smoke alarms regularly. We also provide a service to fit fire alarms.”