Ellesmere Port firefighters save family dog after hearing smoke alarm

Firefighters in Ellesmere Port came to the rescue of a family dog when they discovered a house fire while fitting smoke alarms in the property next door.

At around 3.35pm on Sunday 16 November, the crew was at a house on Hawthorn Road, Little Sutton when they heard a light beeping noise and a noticed a slight smell of smoke.

They investigated and when they looked through the letter box of the semi-detached house next door they saw it was full of smoke and the glass windows were hot to touch.

They immediately requested another fire engine, and with their breathing apparatus on, they broke down the door and began searching the property for any people inside and the location of the fire.

When they looked under the stairs, two firefighters found the family dog and rescued the King Charles Spaniel named Gabby-do.

The fire was found in the living room and extinguished using a hose reel jet.

Watch Manager Paul Janion said: “This fire could have been so much worse had the firefighters not heard the smoke alarm and investigated further. It is yet another example of the importance of having a working smoke alarm, they really do save lives and alert people to fires.

“We searched the house to make sure no one was inside and as we walked out the family arrived home, welcomed by their dog, which they must have feared the worst for. I am really pleased the crew were in the area at the time and prevented the fire spreading any further.”

The house suffered fire and smoke damage to the living room and the rest of the house was also smoke damaged. The cause of the blaze is believed to be electrical as a result of a plug socket.

Smoke alarms save lives

Buying and fitting smoke alarms could help you to save your home and the lives of your family.

A smoke alarm is a device that detects fire in its early stages and gives a loud audible warning.

Your smoke alarms needs regular maintenance:

Once a year replace the battery
Once a month check the alarm by pressing the test button
Once a year vacuum and wipe the smoke alarm casing to ensure dust isn't blocking the sensor chamber