Residents evacuated after fire at Slough care home
The residents of a care home in Slough were forced to evacuate their rooms last Wednesday (2nd January) after a fire broke out on the premises.
Fire crews from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS), operating from Slough Fire Station, were called to the Reach care home on Lower Cippenham Lane just after midday. The smoke alarms in the building were set off by the blaze, alerting staff and residents to the danger. Around ten people were believed to have been inside the building at the time.
After safely putting out the blaze, fire service officers discovered that the fire had originated in a confined area next to a laundry room. Towels on a drying rack had fallen off onto a boiler, eventually catching fire.
Whilst the incident could potentially have been avoided, there were no problems with the care home staff’s fire safety training levels. All residents, including vulnerable residents with learning difficulties, were evacuated quickly and safely. Slough Fire Station watch manager Seth Juby, speaking after the incident, praised everyone involved, saying:
“There were no injuries. The staff had a very good fire drill.”