Firefighters tackle blaze at suspected cannabis factory in Wimbledon
Four fire engines and about 25 firefighters tackled a blaze at a house being used as a suspected cannabis factory in Wimbledon yesterday evening.
The roof of the two-storey property in Bakers End was destroyed by the fire. There are no reports of any injuries, the London fire brigade (LFB) said.
Firefighters were called at around 5.30pm and the fire was under control by around 7pm. Crews from Wimbledon, New Malden and Mitcham fire stations attended the scene.
The fire is believed to be caused by unsafe electrical installation in a cannabis factory.
A LFB spokesman said: “Cannabis factory fires can be particularly dangerous because of the way criminals use unsafe wiring to illegally obtain electricity in order to grow the plants.
“They’re often in top floors or lofts which means when a fire takes hold it spreads, destroying roofs and damaging neighbouring buildings.
“Firefighters can also be exposed to risks when dealing with the fires because of bad wiring and traps at some of the properties.
“It’s important that people know the key signs and inform the police so that they can act swiftly to prevent these dangerous fires from happening.”
(Picture: LFB)