Southampton family escapes fire

Recently a family living in a private home in Shirley escaped with their lives when an e-scooter was left charging in a bedroom. Luckily the smoke detector alerted the family who were able to escape and call the fire service, but the bedroom was full of toxic smoke that would have been life-threatening. 

We have a fire safety policy in place to protect everyone living in our council homes, but we need you to play your part in keeping your neighbourhood safe. And that means keeping communal areas in blocks of flats clear at all times. What would you do if there was a fire in your block and your escape route was blocked, or the entry for the Fire and Rescue Service was obstructed? The outcome doesn’t bear thinking about. 

That is why it is crucial that every communal area in every block of flats is kept clear of obstructions like rubbish, clutter and personal belongings such as bikes or buggies, and especially combustible materials like gas canisters or petrol cans. NEVER leave anything in entrances, stairwells, or corridors – if you do, we will remove it and may charge you a fee. We’ve noticed that some tenants are leaving electrical items on charge in communal areas with extension leads trailing through doors or letter boxes. This is dangerous and a breach of the tenancy agreement.  Any electrical items that we find charging in communal areas will be removed. This is for your safety.

If you spot obstructions in communal areas in your block please report it online or contact your Local Housing Office.

As well as being aware about keeping the area outside of your flat clear, it’s also worth remembering important safety advice about your balcony. We might be getting into barbecue season but if you live in a flat, you cannot keep or light a barbeque, or store any combustible materials on your balcony, as this is dangerous.

Visit Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Safety for lots of useful home safety tips and advice.