9 November 2009

Firefighters prevented a roof fire from spreading in Calverton on Friday evening.

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service was called to the two-storey semi-detached house in Calverton Road at just after 5pm.

Six crews from Great Holm, Bletchley, Newport Pagnell and Buckingham attended, along with support vehicles from Aylesbury and a number of officers. At its peak, there were about 40 firefighters at the scene.

Station Manager Paul Harrison, Incident Commander, said: “On arrival, firefighters were faced with a well-developed fire in the roof space.

“Crews worked extremely hard in difficult conditions and bad weather to contain the fire and stop it spreading to an adjacent flat, whilst minimising the fire and water damage to the rest of the property”.

Firefighters used two main jets, two hose reels and two sets of breathing apparatus, and helped with salvage.

The family, who were in the house at the time, were alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm sounding and were able to get out safely and phone 999.

Paul added: “A few minutes can make all the difference. There is little doubt that the working smoke alarm prevented this from turning into a far more serious incident."

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.

"When fires break out, which is often during the night, smoke alarms provide a vital early warning sign - indeed, they are often your ONLY warning. Don't put yourself or your family at risk for the sake of a battery."

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

Smoke alarms detect fires at their earliest stages and give a loud warning to help you and your family to get out safely.

Ring 01296 744477 or send an email to cs@bucksfire.gov.uk to book an appointment.

Advice if you are fitting your own smoke alarms:

• Fit one smoke detector to each floor at least 30 centimetres (12 inches) away from any wall or light fitting at ceiling level.

• Make sure your detector has the British Standard Kitemark on it.

• If you have only one smoke alarm, fit it in a place where it can be heard throughout your home - particularly when you are asleep!

• If you have a one-year smoke detector, test the battery once a week and change the battery annually. Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service recommends 10-year tamper-free detectors fitted with push buttons. These are available from all DIY stores.