2 July 2009

Eight people were able to get out of their home safely after smoke alarms alerted them to a fire in the middle of the night.

Two crews from High Wycombe Fire Station were called to a house in Deeds Grove, High Wycombe, at 2.40am.

The fire had started in a converted ground-floor flat to the rear of the split-level property.

Watch Manager Andy Jones said: “This fire illustrates the importance of having properly-maintained smoke alarms. Had it not been there, this could have been an even more serious incident.

“A house fitted with working smoke detectors - and people reacting to them - gives us a much better chance of saving lives and limiting the damage.

"When fires break out, particularly if it's during the night, smoke alarms provide a vital early warning sign - indeed, they are often your only warning.”

Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus put out the fire with two hose reels and ventilated the affected area with a fan. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Paramedics from South Central Ambulance Service checked all the occupants and treated a woman who was suffering from the effects of breathing in smoke.

Terry Ridgley, head of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service's Community Safety team, said: "Nationally, 80 per cent of the population own smoke alarms, but statistics show that in one in every eight house fires attended by fire and rescue services, the smoke alarm failed to work, largely due to flat or missing batteries.”

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service will carry out a free safety check of your home and fit free smoke detectors where necessary.

To book an appointment, ring 01296 744477, email cs@bucksfire.gov.uk or fill in the online form at www.bucksfire.gov.uk