Family alerted by smoke alarm escape unharmed from quickly spreading house fire
Significant damage has been caused to a house in Stafford after a serious fire broke out in the bedroom and quickly spread, officials have said.
Firefighters from Stafford, Stone, Penkridge and Cannock were called to First Avenue at around 3.50pm on Sunday to tackle the serious blaze.
They discovered the fire started in the bedroom and spread across the first floor and into the roof space, also affecting the next-door property.
Crews from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service used breathing apparatus, hose reel jets and an aerial ladder platform to extinguish the fire.
The family were alerted by a smoke alarm and escaped unharmed, with an investigation being launched to establish the cause of the blaze.
Station manager Leigh Richards, who attended the incident, said: "Although significant damage to the property was caused, the presence of a working fire alarm had alerted the occupants who were able to bring themselves to safety.
"In the event of a fire we would always advise people to leave the property via the nearest available exit and to call 999 – never try to tackle it yourselves. Remember to get out and stay out.
"It’s also important to ensure that you have an escape plan so you know how you would get out of your home if a fire occurred and your normal exit route was blocked."
