9:32am Monday 6th July 2009
By Laura Kitching
RESIDENTS fled a block of flats in Weymouth when a fire broke out on the top floor.
Firefighters evacuated them – and neighbours who had been asleep at the time of the fire – and warned elderly residents on the ground floor to stay indoors.
Four crews of firefighters were called to the blaze at St Michael’s Court, off Wyke Road, on Saturday morning.
The blaze could have spread through the block and been a lot worse but firefighters managed to contain it by arriving within a minute of the 999 call.
Incident commander Pete Nixey said: “We had smoke coming out of the top floor windows and from under the eaves.
“The flat involved was unoccupied and the fire is believed to have come from a cupboard.
“We evacuated everybody from the top third and fourth floors and advised elderly people in the lower flats to stay in their homes.
“One of the firefighters had to wake one of the residents up in the adjacent property to the fire and evacuate him.”
Firefighters believe a light bulb in an airing cupboard, which had been left on for some time, sparked the blaze. Commander Nixey said there was smoke damage throughout the flat.
There was nobody in the flat at the time of the fire at about 10.10am on Saturday.
The first firefighters at the scene called in three extra fire engines because of the scale of the blaze.
Fire crews from Maiden Newton, Portland and Bridport assisted and around five residents were evacuated.
Elderly residents in the ground floor flats were advised to stay in their homes.
A total of 24 firefighters tackled the blaze – with 16 wearing breathing apparatus.
Resident Ron McLoughlin, who lives in a top floor flat, said he had been woken by firefighters and told he needed to get out.
He said: “It was a shock – there I was running around with no clothes on and this guy was rushing to get me out. I had to get dressed quick.”
Another resident Irene Freeman praised the firefighters for their actions.
She said: “I’m just glad everybody’s safe.
“It’s always worrying in an apartment situation but the firemen were very diligent.
“They made sure they banged on everyone’s door and asked who was there and who wasn’t.
“It was very impressive really.”
She added that the fire was ‘scary’.
A fire service spokesman said: “The cause of the fire is believed to be an exposed light bulb in an airing cupboard, which had been left on for some time, suddenly caught fire and spread.
“The fire was confined to a boiler room.
“There was some fire damage and severe smoke damage to a corridor, one bedroom and a bathroom in the property.
“The lounge was relatively unaffected as the door had been closed.”
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/trade_directory/