Lit candle underneath TV sends Gosport living room up in flames

Firefighters were called to Selsey Avenue in Elson yesterday evening, after a lit candle on a mantlepiece set the mounted TV above it on fire.

Crews from Gosport and Fareham Fire Stations were called out to the incident, as the living room disintegrated in front of their eyes.

Gosport’s crew manager, Adam Way, said: ‘The candle was lit on the mantlepiece but left unattended.

‘When we got there just after 6.45pm the whole room had gone up in flames – the TV had crashed onto the floor and it was a real mess.

‘Fortunately nobody was seriously injured, but this was a dangerous incident that could easily have been avoided.’

According to crew manager Way, the living room will need a complete refurbishment, and other parts of the house may also have been damaged.

He stressed the importance of having working smoke detectors to help spot issues before they get out of hand.

Firefighters spent an hour and a half tackling the blaze, he added.

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