John Phillips TWO women received emergency medical treatment after breathing smoke from separate flat fires at the weekend. A resident suffered a suspected asthma attack after an arson attack near her home at an empty first-floor flat in Margaret Bondfield Avenue, Bark

John Phillips

TWO women received emergency medical treatment after breathing smoke from separate flat fires at the weekend.

A resident suffered a suspected asthma attack after an arson attack near her home at an empty first-floor flat in Margaret Bondfield Avenue, Barking, at 9.35pm on Sunday.

Another woman was rushed to hospital after escaping a ground-floor flat blaze in Turnage Road, Dagenham, at 10pm on Saturday. The fires are under investigation.

Dagenham firefighter Steve McDermott, 32, this week urged people to improve home safety with smoke detectors as he gears up for a fancy dress race at Romford dog track to raise at least �1,500 for young burn victims on Saturday, May 2.

Firefighters will don old uniforms dating back to the eighties and a number of charity mascot suits used by the fire brigade, including Blaze Bear, as they run on the track between dog races at 10pm.

Mr McDermott said: "Get a smoke alarm. The reason for doing this charity race is to raise some money for the Burned Children's Club, which helps support children who have been burned in fires or require skin grafts and to raise fire safety awareness."

Barking Fire Station blue watch manager Andy Phillips urged residents to attend home safety surgeries held at the station in Alfred's Way on Saturdays.

Medics treated the Barking resident in Margaret Bondfield Avenue and the condition of the Dagenham resident, who was taken to an unnamed hospital, is not known.

The five-bedroom flat in Barking was empty at the time of the fire.

A Barking and Dagenham Police spokesman said: "We are treating this fire as suspicious and have launched an arson investigation."

Both fires were put out at around 10.30pm.

Free home safety checks can be booked on 08000 28 44 28.