Sunderland family saved by smoke alarms

Nov 20 2008 by Sam Wood, The Journal

A FAMILY of six, including a baby, were saved from a house fire yesterday after they were alerted to the blaze by smoke alarms which had been fitted just a week earlier.

Sharon Waite, who lives in the house with her five children, aged between 16 months and 21 years old, and boyfriend Nigel Kinghorn, 46, had gone downstairs to make a cup of coffee when the gas meter exploded, and the flames began to spread.

The 42-year-old said: “I got up this morning and had put a new card in the gas meter. I went to make a cup of coffee and was in another room when the alarm went off. I ran back through and flames were coming from under the stairs.

“I shouted and ran upstairs to get everyone out. I then went back into the house to get a few precious things.

“Everything we have has been destroyed by the fire or the smoke and I had no insurance. All I have left is a couple of baby photos which I managed to rescue.

“But at least everyone got out okay and no one was seriously hurt.

“There is no question that those new smoke alarms saved all our lives.”

The explosion at the home on Wiltshire Road, Witherwack in Sunderland could have proved fatal without the alarms which had been fitted by the fire brigade, a senior fire officer said.

The blaze started at around 6.30am at the two-storey detached house.

Kirsty Waite, nine, a pupil at Hylton Red House Primary School, said: “The alarm was really loud and I woke up straight away. I ran out of the house but then went back in a couple of times to get some things.

“The flames were really high and were beginning to spread when the fire brigade arrived.”

Firefighters were at the scene for two hours tackling the blaze.

Kirsty and her mother had to be taken to hospital to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation but they were later released.

The house was severely damaged by fire and smoke and the family will be living in a hotel for the next few days.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Dave Simpson at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “There is no doubt that we helped save this family’s life by fitting smoke alarms only last week.

“If they had not had working alarms I am sure we would have been dealing with tragic deaths today.

“Please, please if you do not already have a working smoke alarm get one and fit it and make sure you check it’s working on a weekly basis.

“It’s also important to have an escape plan in mind and to tell the whole family this, in case you are involved in a fire. Smoke alarms give people vital minutes and are the difference between life and death.”