COOKING FUMES SPARK FEARS OF FLAT FIRE IN OAKFIELD

Cooking fumes have been blamed for an emergency response to Oakfield in Ryde earlier this afternoon (Friday). 2 fire appliances from Ryde and 1 from Shanklin were mobilised to a block of flats on Slade Road at around 16:00 over concerns a fire had broken out in a property. It had been reported to fire control via 999 that an alarm was sounding and there was a smell of burning. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were committed into the property, equipped with a hose reel jet – and a safety hose standing by. However, following initial investigations, it transpired that the alarm had been caused by cooking fumes with no fire identified. Shanklin’s retained appliance was stood down en-route. An ambulance crew from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service was also mobilised to the scene, but no casualties have been reported. Firefighters have provided safety information to local residents.