Huncoat fire horror sparked by a tumble dryer (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Huncoat fire horror sparked by a tumble dryer
12:48pm Thursday 18th October 2012 in News
By Lisa Woodhouse, Assistant picture editor
GUTTED The utility room where the blaze started was devastated in the fire
BLACK smoke poured from a family home after a faulty tumble dryer caused a raging fire.
Neighbours dashed to the rescue to ensure the two adults and their four children had escaped the inferno without injury.
The fire started in a utility room extension at the rear of the semi-detached home in Oakdene Avenue in Huncoat.
Neighbour Colin Easton said: “There were thick black clouds of smoke billowing out of the house through the door and all the windows.
“My daughter came running into the house to see if we had a fire extinguisher.
“I went over to make sure everyone was out of the house safely. I kicked in one of the windows of the dryer shed to see if we could tackle the fire.
“The frame had melted around the window of the extension and the fire was too developed for us to put out.
“You could see the heat coming off the building and inside it was just red cinders.
“A lot of neighbours came out to see how they could help and the children who live at the house were taken to other houses. Everyone was just in shock.”
It is believed the four children, ranging from toddlers to teenagers, have gone to stay with their father in Clayton-le-Moors, with their mother.
An elderly lady, living in the adjoining home of the semi-detached house, was taken to a neighbour’s house as a precaution by residents following the fire at around 6.30pm on Tuesday.
Firecrews from Hyndburn and Rawtenstall attended the fire after one of the occupants raised the alarm.
The cause is still under investigation, but it is not believed to be suspicious.
Gary Hargreaves, watch manager at Hyndburn fire station, said: “It was a fully developed fire at the rear of the property in the utility room.
“The fire was extinguished quickly, but crews remained at the scene for around an hour to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.
“Fire damage is limited to the rear ground floor utility room of the property. The smoke damage has affected the rest of the house. There were smoke detectors at the property, but the occupant found the fire before they activated and raised the alarm.
“The four people had fled to safety before fire crews arrived. Other children live at the property, but they were playing out at the time of the fire.”
Firefighters used breathing apparatus and hose reels to extinguish the fire.
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