House fire - Eastrea - Fenland
04 August 2008, 8.56pm
One crew from Whittlesey and one crew from Dogsthorpe were called to a house fire in Coates Road, Eastrea.
The fire was discovered when the owner came home and heard the smoke alarms sounding. After closer inspection from the outside of the house, he saw the property was filled up with smoke and dialled 999.
Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus quickly entered the home and discovered a well developed fire in the kitchen. They also discovered a pet dog who had collapsed near the back door.
The dog - whose name is not known - was rescued by the fire service, who then administered oxygen and tried to resuscitate it while an emergency vet was deployed. The dog was still unconscious when it was handed over into the care of the vet.
Meanwhile, firefighters had extinguished the fire using one hose reel. The kitchen was 50 per cent damaged by fire and the rest of the house was smoke logged.
It is believed that the fire started after an electric hob had accidentally been turned on.
Martin Boome, Station Manager for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "When leaving the house, all it takes is one quick look to make sure that there is nothing switched on. This could mean the difference between a devastating fire at your home, or a pleasant evening watching the television.
"We would also advise residents to make sure that all internal doors are closed when leaving the home, or going to sleep at night. A door can hold a fire back for up to 20 minutes and can also greatly reduce the amount of smoke damage caused to the rest of the home."
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