Date: 18th December, 2017
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people of the importance of working smoke alarms, following a fire in Warminster this morning.
Firefighters were called to a semi-detached house in Southleigh View at 9.18am and found the ground floor kitchen alight. A young woman within the house had taken refuge in a first floor bedroom and was brought to safety by ladder, while a Doberman dog rescued unconscious from the property was resuscitated.
Three crews were sent to the scene, from Warminster, Westbury and Trowbridge, and four breathing apparatus wearers used two hose reel jets to extinguish the blaze. Fire damage was contained to the kitchen, but the whole house suffered severe smoke damage.
A fault in an electric toaster has been identified as the most likely cause of the fire.
Station Manager Darren Nixon said: “The property didn’t have working smoke alarms so, had this fire started at night, the outcome could have been far worse. Colleagues in Fire Control were able to advise the young woman in the house, making sure she closed the door of the bedroom and blocked the gap with bedding. They then made sure that she was by the window so that firefighters could carry out an immediate rescue on arrival.”
He added: “There was a great joint effort with Wiltshire Police and South Western Ambulance Service to help the family dog, getting it resuscitated and transported to the local vet for treatment.”
For further information about smoke alarms and staying safe in the home, visit www.dwfire.org.uk/safety