Firefighters in Southampton rushed to break into a flat fire only to find the emergency was a false alarm - caused by a flea bomb

Around 20 firefighters were called on Tuesday morning to a flat in Ventnor Court in Leaside Way, Bassett, after an alarm was heard and smoke spotted in a third-floor flat.

Due to the information provided, the incident was treated as if there were residents inside, so firefighters forced entry - only to find the alarm was caused by a flea bomb.

An ambulance crew was stood down but firefighters remained on the scene to help clear smoke and conduct a home fire safety check.

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The fire service is now issuing a warning to residents around the dangers of using 'flea bombs' which are used to kill insects and fleas by releasing a pesticide fog from a canister.

Station Manager Pete McClemont said: “The fumes which these devices can generate are enough to set off smoke alarms in your home. Smoke bombs are best left to pest control experts, who know how to manage the risks.

“The people who reported these incidents to the fire service by dialling 999 did exactly the right thing upon hearing an alarm and seeing smoke.

“Had they known that smoke bombs were in use inside, that information could have been shared with us at the time of call and a more appropriate response sent, keeping our fire engines available to respond to real emergencies.”

Smoke clouds are produced by these devices and have prompted residents and passers-by to assume a fire was burning and call 999.

Crews from Hightown, St Mary’s, Eastleigh and Burley all responded to calls reporting smoke and a sounding alarm at separate incidents in August.

These calls, some of which involved blocks of flats, see a couple of fire engines mobilised, and in some cases aerial ladder platforms are deployed.

These incidents make these vehicles unavailable for real emergency situations.