8:53am Monday 8th February 2010
A MOTHER saved her two young children after fire broke out in their home as they slept.
Julie McGreevy, from Denecrest, Medomsley, near Consett, County Durham, woke in the night to hear the smoke alarm and rushed downstairs.
When she opened the living room door, she found thick black smoke pouring from behind the gas fire.
The 28-year-old dashed upstairs to get Charlie, three, and one-year-old baby Eleanor, who were sleeping.
Mrs McGreevy said: “It was the most horrendous experience; it was like my worst nightmare.”
The incident took place at about 4am on Thursday.
Mrs McGreevy said: “Charlie loved the big fire engines and flashing lights and was very excited. I had to calm him down and explain to him they were there because we had a very serious problem.”
The smoke alarm had only been fitted two weeks earlier after Mrs McGreevy signed up for a safety talk with Durham Fire Brigade.
She said: “It is such a relief that we had the alarms fitted.”
Fire service manager Ian Dockerty launched a campaign to reduce the risk of fatal house fires following the death of George Bewick, 79, in Tantobie in 2008.
Mr Dockerty said it could have been very different for the McGreevy family had they not had the smoke alarm fitted.
For fire safety advice, call 0191-384-3381.
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