Reasons behind emergency calls flushed away by fire brigade

Pic: Wikimedia

East London’s residents have found themselves with problems in the toilet. Pic: Wikimedia

If you have to go to the toilet in Tower Hamlets, make sure you know how to get out.

According to data from the London Fire Brigade, the borough receives the greatest number of rescue requests from people trapped in the bathroom in London.

Since 2011, 240 people have called the brigade for assistance, and of the 37 people trapped in toilets in Tower Hamlets this year, only 13 were children.

Based on the figures, the fire brigade attends to an average of two people a day who get stuck in the loo and each call-out costs the taxpayer an estimated £295.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “It’s embarrassing getting locked inside a toilet but the vast majority of the call outs are not emergencies and we’d like to wash our hands of these incidents, freeing up more time for our crews to assist people in real need of assistance.”

Hackney and Croydon also made the top-ten, with 161 and 153 calls to the fire brigade for toilet-related rescues since 2011.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “We’re asking people to think before they dial 999 and spare a thought for those who do not have sanitation and toilets.”

Tower Hamlets also sends out the most rescue calls for people stuck in lifts. This year it has already sent out 419 requests, that’s approximately thirteen people per day. Hackney is also a top offender in lift-related calls, with 358 by the end of October of this year.

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