Woman rescued from house fire

5:23pm Friday 9th May 2008

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AN anniversary celebration ended dramatically when a woman had to be rescued from her burning home.

A couple who had been enjoying an romantic evening had placed tea light candles on top of their television.

But after going to bed they were woken by the sound of their smoke alarms at 3.30am this morning and found themselves trapped in an upstairs bedroom.

A man inside the house at the time of the fire managed to escape and Michelle Foreman, 43, was rescued by firefighters through the first floor window.

Her 18-year-old daughter Siobhan had been away from the house for the night.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland fire brigade said she had been told by the fire crew that the couple had been celebrating an anniversary and an investigation had revealed that the candles were to blame for the blaze.

She said: "The couple phoned the emergency services and three engines attended the scene. The fire crew forced entry through the front door and a woman had to be rescued from the first floor window. She was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation."

The television set was destroyed by the blaze and there was smoke and fire damage at the semi-detached two-storey house in Thurnham Grove in Marton, Middlesbrough.

The spokeswoman added that life-saving smoke alarms were fitted after a home fire check at the property in June 2005.

Andy Breeze, watch manager at Coulby Newham station said the tea lights had been lit in tin foil containers and had been put around the living room and on top of the television.

He said: "They were not in the proper recepticles and the little foil containers heated up and were left on top of the television.

"They have gone to bed and it has been smouldering and set fire to the television."

For more information about a free home fire check in the Teesside area call 01429-874035.