Date: 2nd August, 2017
A Salisbury family had a lucky escape this morning (2 August) after fire broke out in their house.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the property on Woodside Road, Bemerton Heath at 12.13am, with two crews from Salisbury and one from Wilton being mobilised.
The fire was located in a first floor bedroom, where clothing had been left on a bedside lamp and had subsequently caught alight before spreading to the adjacent single bed.
The four occupants escaped without injury, having been alerted to the fire by their smoke alarms.
Group Manager Byron Standen, Deputy Area Commander for Wiltshire, said: “The attending crews reported that the house had working mains-operated smoke detectors, which activated and alerted the family to the fire. They were very lucky, as there was already a lot of smoke throughout the first floor and that could have been a serious risk to life had they not been woken up.”
He added: “Although this fire was relatively small and was extinguished using buckets of water, there was still a real danger to the occupants because of the smoke. Leaving anything flammable, such as clothing, next to something hot, like a lamp or heater, can easily escalate to a fire, so we would remind people to always carry out safety checks of their home, especially before going to bed.”
Evidence shows that you are more than twice as likely to die in a fire at home if you haven’t got a working smoke alarm. Smoke alarms are the easiest way to alert you to the danger of fire, giving you precious time to escape. They are cheap, easy to get hold of, and simple to install.
To keep your smoke alarms in good working order, you should:
- Test them once a week, by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds.
- Change the batteries once a year (unless mains powered or fitted with a ten-year battery).
- Replace the whole unit every ten years.
- Clean your smoke alarms every three months by using the soft brush of your vacuum cleaner to remove any excess dust.
For more home fire safety advice, or to request a free Safe & Well visit, visit www.dwfire.org.uk/safety-at-home