Local News

Sittingbourne fire crews have issued a safety warning following a flat fire this morning (Friday 15th April) believed to have been started by a cigarette.

Firefighters from Sittingbourne and Faversham were called to the blaze at a first floor flat in Hawthorn Road, just after 9am. Crews were alerted to the fire after a neighbour heard the alarms sounding, saw smoke and dialled 999. The first crew arrived at the property within two and a half minutes of receiving the emergency call to find all but one of the nine flats in the building had been evacuated.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus (BA) went into the building, while other crew members pitched a 10m ladder to the second floor flat and Sittingbourne Watch Manager, Neil Ryder, climbed up to speak to a woman trapped in her home due to the heavy smoked-logging in the communal stairway.

Neil told SFM News: "I asked her to stay away from the front door, to close the door of the room she was in and put something along the bottom of it to stop smoke getting in such as clothes, cushions or bedding. Also to open and stay by the window to allow fresh air in and that as soon as the fire was dealt with we would come and get her."

Meanwhile, the BA team extinguished the fire using a high pressure hose reel, then cleared smoke and fumes from the property with a positive pressure ventilation fan. The woman, thought to be in her 30's was then brought to safety.

The fire is believed to have been caused after the occupant of the first floor flat fell asleep while smoking. The fire caused damage to a sofa and surrounding items as well as severe smoke damage.

Neil added: "Fortunately the man woke when he did as the smoke alarm in his flat wasn't working. The alarms in the rest of the property all sounded giving other occupants the early warning needed. However, this fire highlights the serious consequences of not extinguishing cigarettes properly. People need to be aware of the risks of smoking in the home and how easily this leads to fires. If you choose to smoke indoors, please make sure cigarettes are stubbed out properly and that you have a working smoke alarm."

Fire crews will be visiting neighbouring properties today to provide free home safety advice but if you or someone you know would benefit from free fire safety advice or a home safety visit from Kent Fire and Rescue Service, email: enquiries@kent.fire-uk.org or you can call 01622 692 121.

A security guard from Sittingbourne has won more than £12,000 in the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance's lottery.

Nigel Long, who works on the Sittingbourne Retail Park, signed up to the life-saving charity's regular Lottery and Superdraw when a canvasser called at his home last year.

The 61-year-old father-of-three thought nothing more of his £8-a-month subscription until he received a call telling them he had won the top prize in Wednesday's (6th April) draw. He won a grand total of £12,015.54 with random lucky numbers 3, 19, 20 and 28 after joining the lottery last June and is now planning a holiday to Canada to see his brother.

Nigel told SFM News: "I was very shocked to win, I phoned my wife immediately and she couldn't believe it. The most I've won before was about £70 when the National Lottery started. I support the air ambulance because we never know when we may need it in the future. I was at work once when a child got hit by a car on the main road and I helped clear one of the car parks for the helicopter to land."

Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance's Regular Lottery costs just £1 per week and there are 12 winners drawn each week with prizes ranging from £25 to £1,000. For an extra £1 a week, players can join the Superdraw which has a maximum jackpot of £25,000. To join the lottery go to www.kssairambulance.org.uk/lottery or call 01622 833833.

*** 16:56 UPDATE - THE GIRLS HAVE BEEN LOCATED SAFE AND WELL ***

Kent Police are appealing for information into the whereabouts of two children reported missing from their home in Sittingbourne.

Chelsea Abbott, nine, and Taylor Redding, 10, were reported missing at 12.40pm today (Thursday 31st March) but are believed to have left their house in the Grovehurst Avenue, Kemsley area at about 5am when their parents were asleep.

Officers are growing increasingly concerned for their welfare and are currently searching the local area.

Taylor may be wearing pale pink leggings, a grey T-shirt with a gold heart on the front, and a black jacket with pink on the arms and hood.

Chelsea may be wearing black boots with white fur on the top.

Anyone with information is urged to call 101 quoting reference 31-0508.

Sheppey and Sittingbourne firefighters were called to a fire in the first floor bedroom of a mid-terraced house on Alexandra Road in Sheerness early today (Tuesday22nd March).

A man, a woman and a teenage boy were led to safety by the crews and were treated by paramedics, for the affects of breathing in smoke, at the scene.

All three were taken to hospital by ambulance. Breathing apparatus was used by the firefighters to extinguish the fire, which is being treated as accidental, using a hose reel.

A number of cats and dogs were rescued from the property and crews used a pet oxygen mask to provide oxygen therapy but, sadly, three cats died in the blaze.