Candle starts Carshalton house fire (From Your Local Guardian)

Candle starts Carshalton house fire

8:49am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Sutton

A house fire started when a candle burnt down, setting a mantlepiece alight.

Firefighters were called to Leechcroft Road in Carshalton at 5.15am this morning.

James Simms, white watch manager, said the candle had not been properly put out when the couple in the house went to bed.

It burnt down, setting fire to the mantlepiece. The heat caused a mirror to smash, which woke the couple.

Mr Simms said without the mirror making the sound, the fire could have been much worse, as there were no smoke alarms installed at the property.

He said fire damage was isolated to the area around the mantlepiece, but there was smoke damage throughout the two storey house.

He said the couple did well by closing the doors of the house before leaving to slow the fire spreading.