Man rescued from fire after being woken by smoke alarm

Firefighters rescued a man trapped in his home after a battery charger started a fire in his living room.

Roger Wearden 48, was woken by his smoke alarm at his flat in Royal Drive, Fulwood, Preston.

When Mr Wearden opened his bedroom door, he saw thick smoke pouring from the living room and was forced to go back into the bedroom and immediately called the emergency services.

Mr Wearden said: “The beeping from the smoke alarm woke me up. When I opened the door, the hallway was full of smoke, so I had to go back in the bedroom. The front room and the kitchen have been gutted. I’d tell everyone to check their smoke alarm. A fire can happen so easily. It could have been worse.”

A spokesperson from the Fire Service said: “The gentleman had a very lucky escape. When he opened the bedroom door, he was faced with thick, black smoke and could not get out. It shows how important it is to have a working smoke alarm.”