16 July 2008

A working smoke alarm helped prevent a fire which left a woman and child needing treatment from paramedics from turning into a tragedy this morning.

Firefighters were called to a flat in Stilemeadow, off Maxwell Road, Beaconsfield, at 6.33am. It was initially feared that there were people inside the flat who were unable to get out, so three appliances and crews – two from Beaconsfield and one from High Wycombe – were sent.

A quick-thinking neighbour, who heard the smoke alarm going off, managed to help the occupants - a woman and boy suffering from the effects of breathing in smoke - out of the flat.

Watch Manager Neil Bressington, from Green Watch at Beaconsfield Fire Station, said: “This incident highlights the value of having working smoke alarms. The neighbour heard it go off and did a really good job.

“Had there not been a working smoke alarm in the flat, this could very easily have turned into a tragedy.

“The fire had started in the cooker area and the flat was heavily smoke-logged when we arrived. The crews responded quickly and effectively and did very well to prevent it from spreading further.”

Two firefighters went into the flat wearing breathing apparatus and used a hose reel to extinguish the fire.

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