26 December 2009

Firefighters rescued two people from fires in Milton Keynes last night.

In the first incident, at 6.02pm, crews from Great Holm and Bletchley were called to sheltered housing in Flintergill Court, Heelands, after an automatic fire alarm went off. A man had put a pan of potatoes on to cook and then fallen asleep on a sofa.

Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus helped him to safety. He was given oxygen and handed into the care of paramedics.

Paramedic also treated a woman from a neighbouring flat who was suffering from the effects of breathing in smoke.

In the second incident, at 7.34pm, three crews from Great Holm were called to a house in Daniels Welch, Coffee Hall, after a neighbour phoned 999.

Watch Manager Rob Alcock from Great Holm Fire Station, who was the incident commander at both fires, said: "We had to force our way into the house as the occupant was unconscious on the living room floor and smoke had filled about half of the ground floor.

"Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus carried him out, and he was handed to paramedics who treated him with oxygen and then took him to hospital."

Firefighters put out the fire with a hose reel and cleared the smoke with a ventilation fan. They also moved two cockatoos to safety.