Fire chiefs' 'smoke alarms save lives' message after man escapes 2am house blaze in Northamptonshire

Fire chiefs issued a stark reminder of how smoke alarms save lives after a Northamptonshire man escaped from his burning house earlier this week.

Four crews of firefighters battled the blaze for four hours after it started at around 2am in Ringstead on Thursday morning.

But detectors in the property going off woke up the occupier and allowed him to get out without injury.

Tina Collett, prevention team leader at Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service, said: “The resident at this property in Ringstead, was alerted to the fire by their working smoke detector and this allowed them to safely escape unharmed prior to our arrival.

“Smoke alarms are quick and easy to fit, and when they are working they can give someone the few extra seconds they need to escape in a fire such as this — and it only takes a few seconds to save a life.

“We would encourage homeowners to ensure they have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of their home, especially near rooms with particular risks or where there are a large number of electrical appliances.

“One smoke alarm is not enough if your property has more than one floor, as a fire may not reach that detector. It is also vitally important that people regularly test that their smoke alarms are still working and never take the batteries out.”

Despite 91 per cent homes having at least one working smoke alarm in their home, detectors alerted householders in only 45 per cent of fires.

This was mainly down to alarms failing activate because the fire was outside its range.

Safety experts recommend the ideal position is on ceilings, in the middle of a room or on a hallway or landing. You should replace your fire alarms every ten years.

In privately rented accommodation, the landlord is responsible for making sure the property has working smoke alarms at the start of each tenancy. After that, tenants should test all alarms at least once a month and report any faults to their landlord. Ensure your smoke alarms can do their job by:

■ Making sure there is at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home.

■ Fitting smoke alarms on landings and hallways and near bedrooms. Also consider fitting alarms in rooms with electrical appliances such as heaters or chargers, or other fire risks.

■ Testing alarms by pushing the button every month. Circle the first of every month on your new calendar as a reminder

■ Replacing smoke alarm batteries as soon as they start to fade, and never take batteries out of alarms for any reason

■ Checking that your smoke alarms are less than 10 years old. If they are older, replace them.

■ Taking a moment to check on loved ones who may need help to ensure they’re fully protected

Visit the NFRS smoke and carbon monoxide alarms page for more information of see the Government's Fire safety in the home leaflet.