News

FAMILY ESCAPE BLAZE IN FOLKESTONE HOME

A family from Folkestone narrowly avoided tragedy after fire broke out in their Biggins Wood Road home.

In the early hours of Saturday (3 September) the couple and their three children were sleeping upstairs. During the night the mother let the dog out into the garden and noticed flames at the window of a downstairs bedroom.

She rushed to the room with a bucket of water and put out a small fire caused by some candles on the window sill which set light to the curtain. She then woke her family, got them out of the house and called the Fire Brigade.

Firefighters are warning that this incident could have been much more serious due to the lack of smoke alarms in the property, allowing the fire to spread undiscovered. If this had happened the only warning would have been acrid smoke rising to the first floor of the house where the family slept.

Sub Officer Steve Flint of Folkestone’s Green Watch said: “I would urge all householders to take care around candles and never leave them burning unattended. In this instance, the family were very lucky to get out of the building safely. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of having working smoke alarms in your home. It could save your life.�

Firefighters returned to the property the next day to fit two smoke alarms and deliverer fire safety leaflets to homes in the area, offering free home fire safety checks.

This service is free and firefighters will fit, if required, a free ten-year smoke alarm. These checks take about 20 minutes and include tips on night-time routines, cooking safely with oil or fat, the dangers of smoking materials, care with candles, electrical safety and planning escape routes in the event of fire.

If you would like a free home fire safety check or some fire safety advice then contact your local fire safety office or log on to www.kent.fire-uk.org.