Firefighters have teamed up with a housing association to launch a new campaign to prevent fires from breaking out in blocks of flats.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue and Thrive Homes have launched the campaign “Flat Out For Fire Safety”.

The initiative has been set up to warn people about the dangers of blocking communal areas with items like mobility scooters, pushchairs and storing bikes in corridors and stairways.

Staff will be visiting residents in flats over the next few months to talk about these dangers.

Watch Commander Sean Good, of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are pleased to be working with Thrive Homes on this new initiative.

“Often people don’t think that leaving a pushchair, for example, outside their flat door poses any problem – but it can mean the difference between life and death if it causes difficulties for us getting through to tackle a fire or if it helps the fire spread.”

Anne Bijum, Neighbourhood Services Manager at Thrive Homes, said: “If a fire does break out, these stored items can create a hazard as they may obstruct the way for people trying to escape, as well as making it more difficult for firefighters and other emergency services to get into the building.”