A HOUSEHOLDER had a lucky escape in the early hours of yesterday when his burglar alarm saved him from a fire.
Heat from a blaze in the detached property at Markington, near Ripon, melted a wire in the house which triggered the burglar alarm.
Police officers went to the scene and found the occupant still asleep upstairs.
They led the man, who was not hurt but suffered from the effects of smoke inhalation, to safety.
Four firefighters tackled the blaze which broke out at about 1.45am. It is believed to have been caused by candles which were left unattended.
A spokesman for the fire service said the police were inadvertently called when the burglar alarm was triggered.
He added: "Had the man not had a burglar alarm the fire would have raged through his house before he had a chance to do anything.
"He did not have a smoke alarm."
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