Heatwave fire warning as cigarette thrown in flower pot sparks huge house blaze

"Please submerge all cigarette butts in water to protect your property and loves ones"

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With Lancashire and the rest of the UK in the midst of an early summer heatwave, firefighters have issued a warning to smokers not to put out their cigarettes in flower pots.

It comes after Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service were called to a house fire yesterday (May 30) after 'someone discarded a cigarette butt in a plant pot'. Two engines from Hyndburn were called to the incident on Headingley Close in Huncoat, Accrington.

Crews used two hose reels and two positive pressure ventilation fans to extinguish the fire. They were in attendance at the scene for around 75 minutes.

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The fire service today (May 31) issued an urgent warning about the dangers of discarding cigarettes in plant pots. They say the ongoing dry weather 'makes it much easier to start an accidental fire' and urged smokers to submerge all cigarette butts in water to 'protect your property and loves ones'.

A spokesperson said: "Yesterday, we attended a house fire that started when someone discarded a cigarette butt in a plant pot. While a plant pot might not seem a bad place, this dry weather makes it much easier to start an accidental fire.

"Please submerge all cigarette butts in water to protect your property and loves ones."

In a statement on the callout, the fire service said: "Two fire engines from Hyndburn attended a garage fire on Headingley Close, Accrington. Firefighters used two hose reels and two positive pressure ventilation fans to extinguish the fire.

"Crews were in attendance for 1 hour 15 minutes."