Squirrel blamed for causing house fire

A London Fire Brigade report has revealed that a house fire in Romford, Essex, was caused by a squirrel. The cables of a fluorescent light appeared to have been nibbled on, which likely caused the electrical fault that started the blaze.

The fire damaged part of a domestic garage on Main Road in Romford, destroying some household goods and appliances. Crews were called to the fire at 2.06pm and the fire was under control an hour later.



Three fire engines from Romford and Harold Hill fire stations went to the scene. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “It’s nuts to think that squirrels can start fires, but that’s exactly what happened here.

 “We think it was nesting in the garage and caused the blaze by chewing through some cables. As this incident has shown, it’s important to keep your garages and homes clear from rodents, as they can chew through cables and cause fires.”