Posted: Wednesday 15 March 2023, 15:00
Following a serious fire in Ashbourne, Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is reminding people of the importance of having working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan in place.
At 03.42 hours yesterday (Tuesday, 14 March), firefighters from Ashbourne, Wirksworth and Kingsway responded to a fire at a property on North Avenue, Ashbourne.
Upon arrival, crews located a fire in a ground floor kitchen area. The three occupants, living in flats above, were rescued.
One man was taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation. No further information is available.
A fire investigation has concluded the most probable cause of the fire to be accidental electrical.
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is encouraging everyone to make fire safety a priority by ensuring they have enough working smoke alarms in their homes and that they test them weekly.
To keep your alarms in working order:
- Make sure there is at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home
- Test your smoke alarms by pushing the button every week
- Change the batteries every year. Only remove the batteries to replace them.
- Fit smoke alarms in the right place - on landings and hallways and near bedrooms. Also consider fitting them in rooms which have electrical appliances – e.g. a heater or charger – or other fire risks.
Every household should also have an escape plan in place just in case the worst was to happen. For advice on planning for an emergency, visit https://www.derbys-fire.gov.uk/safety/at-home/escape-plans.
You can also carry out a review of fire safety in your home by completing a DIY home fire safety check at https://www.safelincs.co.uk/hfsc/?ref=DFRS.