A flat in Market Drayton has suffered extensive damage following a fire caused by unattended cooking during the early hours of this morning.
Fire crews were called to the fire at a three storey block of flats in Red Barn Road at around 1.20am.
Rescue pumps from Market Drayton, Hodnet and Prees along with an operations officer from headquarters, were all mobilised by fire control, to reports of a persons reported trapped in the property.
Whilst on route to the incident fire control updated the attending appliances that further calls were being received stating that the fire was on the ground floor of a three storey block of flats.
On arrival at the scene, the Market Drayton crew were confronted with smoke and flames issuing from a ground floor flat.
The incident commander rapidly carried out a dynamic risk assessment, and quickly committed two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, into the ground floor to extinguish the fire and search for any unaccounted for casualties.
On arrival of the appliances from Hodnet and Prees a further four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, were committed into the building to search the first and second floors for any persons still within the building or any fire spread.
Whilst crews were fighting the fire and carrying out a search it was established that the occupant of the ground floor flat, had managed to escape the property thanks to being woken by a working smoke alarm.
The interlinked alarm system had also alerted the occupants of the first and second floor flats, who had all successfully escaped the building and it was established that all the occupants of the flats were accounted for and that no one was trapped.
The male occupant of the ground floor flat was given a precautionary check up at the scene by paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Services, due to having suffered smoke inhalation. They were discharged at the scene after refusing any further medical treatment.
A Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “The fire was extinguished by the breathing apparatus crews using two high pressure hose reel jets.
“The ground floor flat has suffered extensive damage from fire, heat and smoke.
“The ground floor entrance area, corridors and first floor have suffered some damage from smoke.
“Crews remained at the scene for several hours damping down, turning over, checking for any hidden fire spread and carrying out salvage work.
“A fire investigation officer attended the scene and established that the cause of the fire had been due to unattended cooking.
“This is the second house fire in a couple of weeks in Market Drayton where people’s lives have been saved by having working smoke alarms.
“We recommend you should have at least one working smoke alarm per floor of your property. Please ensure that you test your alarms regularly to ensure they are working.
Officers from West Mercia Police also attend the scene due to the initial calls stating that persons were believed to be trapped inside the property.
“We wish the occupier a speedy recovery from their ordeal and hope that the flat is soon habitable again.”
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