Concerned neighbour helps stop kitchen fire spreading

Tuesday 01 April 2014

A quick-acting neighbour prevented a kitchen fire taking hold in the house next door after hearing the smoke alarm going off.

Firefighters were called out to the empty property in St Helier. Once they had put out the fire, they used a fan to clear the smoke and then cut away part of the kitchen worktop and internal plaster to make sure there was no chance of it spreading because of the heat. Although the fire was contained in the kitchen, the smoke caused considerable damage in the house because doors had been left open.

They are now investigating the cause of the fire but Crew Commander Craig Channing said the smoke alarm going off, and the neighbour’s quick actions ensured the fire didn’t have time to take hold.

Jersey Fire and Rescue were highlighting the benefits of having a properly placed, working smoke alarm during last week’s UK Home Safety week campaign.

They gave the following advice:

• Have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home - fit one alarm on the ground floor, and additional alarms on each landing making sure you can hear it, even through a closed door.

• Test your smoke alarm on a regular basis by pressing the test button - why not test it on the first of every month? This will act as a reminder - Pinch, Punch, Push that button.

• Choose the right smoke alarm for your needs - Optical smoke alarms are better at detecting a broader range of fires, and are less prone to false alarms.

• Take care of your smoke alarm to keep it working to protect you. Every six months give it a bit of a clean, in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines.