200 year old National Trust Cottage saved by Smoke Alarms

10/07/12

At 15.14 hours on Monday, 9 July 2012, Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service received a call to attend a fire in Grindleford, Sheffield.

Firefighters from Hathersage and Low Edges, South Yorkshire attended the fire at a 200 year old National Trust owned cottage. The fire is believed to have been started by faulty electrics in an upstairs bedroom.

Whilst the fire caused serious damage to the bedroom, the presence of hard wired smoke alarms gave early warning to the occupants of the cottage who were able to effect an evacuation, but not before shutting the door to the bedroom where the fire was. This along with an early call to the fire service, proved vital in preventing the fire from spreading and limiting the damage to the property to just one room.

Without the presence of smoke alarms a family of five people, two dogs, four cats, two ferrets and four rare birds would have been dealing with a far more serious situation this evening.

Station Manager, Gary Platts said "without doubt, if it had not been for the hard wired smoke alarms that were fitted in this beautiful cottage, we could have been looking at a more serious and widespread fire.

"Luckily the whole family were not at home at the time the fire broke out, however the remaining family members had the presence of mind to close the door to the room of the fire and evacuate family and pets before the fire crews arrival, proving just how important not only smoke alarms are, but families know what to do in the event of a fire in their home."

Would you know how to respond if a fire broke out in your home? Have you got working smoke alarms on every level of your home? Do you check them regularly?

Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service cannot stress highly enough the importance of having working smoke detection fitted in your home. We ask that you follow some simple fire safety advice: