26 March 2008

A working smoke alarm helped save the lives of a woman and her son when a fire started in a bedroom this morning.

Crews from Newport Pagnell and Broughton were called to the house in Collins Close, Newport Pagnell, at 1.31am. They arrived to find the second floor bedroom already well alight and spreading to the roof.

Firefighters used two hose reels and four sets of breathing apparatus to tackle the fire and were able to prevent it from spreading further.

Both of the occupants managed to get out safely, along with their pet rabbit. The woman had to be treated for the effects of breathing in smoke.

Station Manager Tony Bennett, who was also at the incident, said: “They were able to shut the bedroom door as they made their way to safety outside. A closed door can slow down or in some cases prevent the spread of a fire, maximising your chances of getting out alive.

“This fire also illustrates the importance of having a properly-maintained smoke alarm. Had it not been there, this could have been an even more serious incident.”