Man's life saved after fire alarm sounds (From Swindon Advertiser)

Man's life saved after fire alarm sounds

1:40pm Tuesday 26th January 2010 in

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A fire alarm saved the life of a man living in sheltered accommodation.

The man from Derryck Evans House in Liden had a lucky escape when his toaster caught fire. The blaze spread to the surrounding worktop and led to thick smoke throughout the flat.

The fire alarm system alerted scheme manager Geraldine McGrath and she used a fire blanket to put out the fire before rescuing the man from his home.

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service crew manager Mark Altree, who attended the incident on January 14 with colleagues from Swindon fire station, said: “I have no doubt that, had the alarms not sounded and the scheme manager not acted in the way she did, there would have been a potentially fatal outcome.

“The scheme manager saved this man’s life, her prompt and correct actions, together with a good fire alarm system, prevented a death.”

He added: “All properties should have some form of fire detection system fitted – you wouldn’t put yourself at risk by driving your car without wearing a seatbelt, so why live in a house without a smoke detector? Fitting a smoke detector is the simplest and cheapest way to protect you and your family.”

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service offers free home fire safety advice.

To find out if you qualify for a home fire safety check, call 0800 389 7849 or visit www.wiltsfire.gov.uk