Incense candles spark Sunbury house blaze

Nov 30 2009 By Adam Courtney

Debris from the bedroom fire in Staines Road West

INCENSE sticks used for family prayers were mistakenly left smouldering in a bedroom and started a fire which caused extensive damage.

Sunbury firefighters said the house, in Staines Road West on the border of Sunbury and Ashford Commons, had suffered severe smoke damage on the top floor, and when the Herald & News paid a visit, owner Harbhajan Singh Binjal was clearing out damaged furniture.

Mr Singh, who was in with his wife at the time of the blaze at about 5.30pm on Tuesday last week, explained he had given his wife the incense stick to use for regular evening prayers.

After a short time, she came downstairs and everything was normal. But then Mr Singh, a Sheik, began to smell smoke.

He said: "I went upstairs and saw my bed on fire. I think the stick set some toilet roll alight and it started from there. I brought the situation under control quickly and, fortunately, we were able to get out of the house. Unfortunately, we have lost quite a bit of furniture and the bed. My daughter and granddaughter were not in at the time so thankfully it wasn't too much of a problem."

A neighbour, who didn't want to be named said: "It's quite a busy house so when I saw the fire engines I was worried there were people trapped. You could see quite a bit of smoke billowing from the window and I was really relieved when I saw they had got out."

Firefighters from Staines and Sunbury took nearly two hours to bring the blaze under control, using two hose reels and breathing equipment.