Neighbours Suffer Smoke Inhalation After Attempting to Fight Lymington Fire

On-call firefighters from Lymington, Beaulieu and New Milton were called to a house fire in Spartina Drive, Lymington, shortly before 8am this morning.

Upon arrival, crews were met with a large plume of smoke and flames issuing from the property, with a fire alarm sounding. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reel jets to quickly bring the fire in the kitchen of the terraced property under control.

Two neighbours attempted to tackle the fire using a garden hose after the occupant had safely evacuated the property. As a result of their actions, both individuals suffered from smoke inhalation and required medical attention.

Station Manager Simon Packer said:

“We understand that people’s first instinct is often to try and help in an emergency, particularly when it involves a neighbour or nearby property. However, fires can develop rapidly and produce large amounts of toxic smoke in a very short space of time. This smoke can be extremely dangerous and even life-threatening, often before flames become the biggest risk.

“Firefighters are trained to deal with these situations and are equipped with specialist protective clothing and breathing apparatus, which allows them to safely enter smoke-filled environments and tackle fires effectively. Without this equipment, members of the public are putting themselves at serious risk of harm.

“Our advice is clear: if you discover a fire, get out, stay out, and call the fire service immediately. Do not attempt to fight the fire yourself. By leaving it to trained crews, you are protecting your own safety and allowing us to do our job as quickly and safely as possible.”