A fire broke out in a hairdresser’s shop located on the ground floor of Parkview care home on Woolwich Road, Bexleyheath. The blaze is believed to have started accidentally from a hairdryer.
At 11:40 a.m. on March 30, eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters were dispatched to the scene. Thick smoke filled the ground floor, leading to an urgent rescue operation.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued four people trapped inside the building. An additional three individuals were escorted to safety. Approximately 30 residents had already evacuated the care home before emergency services arrived.
The London Ambulance Service treated five people for smoke inhalation at the scene, with four taken to hospital for further care. Multiple crews, including paramedics and Hazardous Area Response Teams, were present to assist.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said, “The Brigade was called at 11.26 and the fire was under control by 13.02. Hairdryers, hair tongs, and straighteners can get extremely hot, so always turn them off and place them on a heatproof surface.”
The Metropolitan Police closed Woolwich Road during the incident. Officers worked alongside ambulance and fire crews to manage the scene safely. Fire crews from Sidcup, Eltham, Bexley, East Greenwich, and nearby stations all joined the effort to bring the blaze under control quickly.
Originally published by UKNIP.
