A routine visit to witness a fire drill turned into a real emergency for Matthew.
During a pre-arranged visit to his constituency's two fire stations, a fire broke out in a West Hendon house requiring a pump ladder to attend the scene. The cause of the blaze is believed to have been a candle which set light to the curtains in a bedroom before catching fire to the rest of the room. Firefighters cordened off Wilberforce Road as they fought the blaze in the first-floor room. After a few minutes the fire was easily brought under control but left the occupant distressed over the descrution of her property. Matthew then went on to see for himself how the fire took hold.
""The speed in which a fire can spread so quickly is frightening and something that everyone should be aware of. People should not only check electrical appliances for over-loading and remember to extinguish candles, but should also have an escape plan in the event of a fire. The Hendon and Mill Hill firefighters attend almost two thousand incidents each year and have an attendance time of approximately 3-4 minutes. This is a public service we can be proud of but local residents have a role in reducing the number of incidents by installing a smoke alarm.""
Photo: Matthew is pictured at the location of the fire viewing heatspots with a thermal imaging camera