FIREFIGHTERS averted an action replay of an incident in which a child died when a malicious call clashed with a legitimate blaze just streets away.

Crew members from Blackburn station were sent to Hastings Close after a message that a woman had been overcome by smoke in her burning kitchen.

But as the two appliances were on their way, controllers at brigade headquarters received another call to a fire in nearby Hythe Close which turned out to be a hoax.

Blackburn Station Officer Chris Norse, explained that one of his appliances was diverted to the second scene while two vehicles from Darwen were mobilised.

He said: "This resulted in the fire brigade and ambulance service being delayed in getting to the scene of the real fire."

The initial call resulted in a woman needing hospital treatment for a fractured leg after slipping while attempting to remove a blazing pan.

But Mr Norse said things could have been a lot worse.

He added: "It was not so long ago that a child died in Blackpool as a result of an appliance being diverted to a call that turned out to be malicious.

"The person who made the hoax call must realise that they were playing with people's lives."

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