Working smoke alarms wake family up during house fire

Firefighters are highlighting the importance of having working smoke alarms at home after a family was woken up in the night by their smoke alarms during a house fire.

Crews were called to Mill Lane, Ramsden Heath at 3:33am after residents had been woken up by their smoke alarms, got out of the house and called us.

On arrival, crews reported that the ground floor of the house was heavily smoke logged.

Firefighters wearing Breathing Apparatus entered the house and extinguished a fire in the living room by 4:12am.

Crews believe the fire was caused by an electrical fault.

Due to the smoke damage to the house, the family has been rendered homeless.

Watch Manager Andy Smith from Wickford Fire Station said: “This incident really highlights why it is so so important to have working smoke alarms at home. The residents were all asleep upstairs unaware there was a fire developing downstairs. Their smoke alarms saved their lives.

“Please make sure you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home and test them weekly. If you haven’t got working smoke alarms, we can fit them for free. Get in touch with our team online at www.essex-fire.gov.uk/book or by calling 0300 303 0088.”