Firefighters issue warning as Sheffield flat goes up in flames after proposal blunder

Firefighters were called out to Abbeydale Road at 8.30pm yesterday after tea lights left unattended started a blaze.

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The first floor flat was extensively damaged when a man lit hundreds of tea lights before leaving to collect his girlfriend.

When they returned the flat was on fire.

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South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: “Last night crews were mobilised to a flat fire in Sheffield. They dealt with it quickly, as ever, before trying to establish what caused it.

“A quick chat with the occupant revealed that this room had been filled with hundreds of tea lights. It had also been filled with balloons.

“This was going to be the scene of a romantic proposal and the occupant, a chap who we shall not name, had really gone to town.

“With the scene set, he went round the corner to pick his girlfriend up, ready for the big moment.

“As they returned, though, their flat was on fire.

“Fortunately our firefighters dealt with the fire quickly and nobody was injured. As a bonus, she said yes.

“However, there is a really important lesson here. As romantic as they are, and as much as we all love them, candles can be so dangerous.

“Please, please extinguish them properly when you've done. Don't put them near flammable items, like curtains,

don't leave 100s of tea lights unattended.”