Wheelie bin fire spreads to house in Corby

A wheelie bin caught alight in Corby in the early hours of this morning, spreading to a house and leaving the occupants having to escape.

Firefighters are still on the scene of the blaze in Gainsborough Road that started about 5am.

Two crews from Corby Fire Station were called out but fortunately, smoke alarms in the property woke the two occupants who escaped without injury. The front of the house has been damaged by fire and smoke, which has also affected the neighbouring property.

Fire Investigation Officers are on the scene working to establish the cause of the fire. Crews from Corby Fire Station will also return to Gainsborough Road later this morning to carry out a ‘hot strike’, giving residents valuable fire prevention advice and advising them on how to fit and check smoke alarms.

Station Commander Nick Gayton urged people to store wheelie bins away from their home, and reminded how smoke alarms give people the valuable few seconds to escape from fire.

“The smoke alarms in this house did their job – they woke the occupants and let them escape from their home," he said.

"Working smoke alarms give the vital few seconds that can be all it takes to escape safely from a fire and this incident is a great example of why every home should have them.”

SC Gayton also urged people to keep wheelie bins away from doors and windows. “Fire and smoke from a wheelie bin fire can quickly spread so the best way to store them is securely locked away if you can, and at least, not up against a building, window or door.”

The cause of this morning’s fire is still under investigation.