Firefighters rescue trapped children
Three young children have been rescued by firefighters from Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service after a fire broke out in the outhouse attached to their home.
Fire crews were called to a house fire in Neville Close in Leamington at 12.35am on Friday 7 January. On arrival crews were faced with a fire in an outhouse which was heavily smoke logged. The fire was quickly extinguished and three young children were rescued by firefighters from a first floor bedroom window.
Area Risk Manager, Simon Ellershaw said:
“Although the fire was in the outbuilding, the smoke had travelled through the house which made it difficult for the family to escape down the stairs. When crews arrived they could see the family trapped in the front bedroom. Firefighters rescued three young children using a ladder pitched to the first floor window and subsequently lead the parents to safety once the fire had been extinguished.”
“Despite the fire being located in the outbuilding and not the kitchen as first suspected, the family were given early warning of the fire when their smoke alarms activated, along with a neighbour who raised the initial ‘999’ call. This shows how having working smoke alarms in your home saves lives and also the importance of planning your escape in case of fire. The parent’s swift action resulted in everyone being located at the front of the house in full view of the attending crews and ensured that all members of the family were rescued quickly and safely!”
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. However, it is believed to have been started by someone sleeping rough in the outhouse.
If you have any concerns regarding fire safety in your home, then you can apply for a free home fire safety check. For further information please call 01926 466282 or log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue