Smoke detector fitted after New Year's Day kitchen blaze

FIREFIGHTERS from Williton tackled a kitchen blaze last night in May Terrace, Washford.
Two fire engines attended the incident, which happened shortly after 7 pm and found smoke billowing from the rear of the house.
The fire was caused by an electrical fault within a washer-dryer and was it was put out by two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using a hose reel jet.
The washer-dryer was destroyed by heat and fire, and the kitchen was badly damaged by smoke.
The fire and rescue crews found smoke detectors were not fitted in the property so they ensured that one was fitted while they were at the scene.

Family asleep during blaze as smoke detectors lack batteries

FOUR people were lucky to escape with their lives after becoming trapped in a flat above an Indian restaurant in Minehead when a blaze broke out in the early hours of Friday, November 23.
Although the premises in The Avenue were fitted with smoke detectors, they did not work because they did not have any batteries in them
Firemen who arrived on the scene shortly before 5 am were initially unable to wake the occupants of the flat.
However, they were eventually roused and firefighters using breathing apparatus led the four people to safety without any serious injuries.
An electrical fault was blamed for setting fire to a canopy at the front of the restaurant building, almost one-third of which was damaged by the heat. The canopy was almost completely destroyed.
Both fire engines from the Minehead station were mobilised, and because of the danger to the lives of the four people, a further fire engine was called from Porlock and a command support unit from Wiveliscombe.
The fire was contained to the restaurant frontage and was extinguished using two hose reel jets.