Rescued from flat blaze

Published on 21st September 2006 in News

Four people were rescued from a burning third-floor flat in Goole last weekend in a fire that "could have been a tragedy". There was no smoke alarm in the flat.

Fire crews from Goole and Howden rushed to Edinburgh Street at 8.40am on Sunday to find people trapped in the building by thick smoke.

Andy Masterman, crew manager at Goole, said: "When we got there, four people were unaccounted for."

Two people were seen leaning out of the windows and firemen prepared to climb onto the roof to rescue them. However, four firefighters in breathing apparatus were able to get into the flat and rescued everyone who was trapped.

All the occupants suffered from smoke inhalation and two were taken to hospitals in Goole and Doncaster by ambulance.

The flat was severely damaged by the fire and the building was heavily smoke-logged.

Mr Masterman stressed the difference a smoke alarm could have made.

"If they'd had a smoke alarm, they would have been alerted to the danger and they would have been outside when we arrived.

"It could have been a tragedy," he went on. "The crew were very quick but if we'd been out on another shout there could have been fatalities."

* Humberside Fire Service can supply and fit smoke alarms for free - for more information, call Goole Fire Station on 01405 752700.