Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging residents to close their doors at night following a kitchen fire in a Luton tower block that was successfully contained — due in part to a closed fire door.
In the early hours of the morning on Sunday 15 February, fire crews from Dunstable, Luton and Stopsley attended a report of a fire at Acworth Crescent, Luton. The incident involved a kitchen fire on the ninth floor of a 15-storey residential building.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used one main jet to extinguish the accidental fire. The closed fire door to the flat was instrumental in containing both fire and smoke, significantly reducing the potential impact on other residents within the building.
Rob Hulatt, Head of Prevention and Protection, said: “This incident highlights the critical importance of closing doors, particularly in high-rise buildings. Where doors are left open, fire and smoke can spread rapidly, increasing the risk to occupants. We encourage residents to make closing internal doors at night part of their routine — it is a simple action that can have life-saving consequences.”
Fire doors are specifically engineered to resist the spread of fire and smoke for a designated period, providing vital time for residents to follow evacuation procedures and for emergency services to respond. Even standard internal doors can substantially slow the development and spread of fire and smoke within a property.
Residents — particularly those living in flats and high-rise buildings — are advised to close all internal doors before going to bed, ensure smoke alarms are installed on every level of their home and tested regularly, and be familiar with their building’s evacuation arrangements.
For further fire safety advice or to request a free Home Fire Safety Visit, visit Home Fire Safety Visits
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