A WOMAN had a lucky escape after clothing she was drying near an electric fire went up in flames.

Two fire crews from Middlesbrough were called out to Errol Street on Tuesday evening to reports of a fire in a bedroom. The woman was alerted by her smoke alarm and was given oxygen by firefighters at the scene as a precaution.

John Feeney, Cleveland Fire Brigade’s District Manager for Middlesbrough, said: “Drying or hanging clothes or any material such as curtains next to an electric heater is extremely dangerous.

“This lady has been very lucky and it’s thanks to her working smoke alarm that she was alerted to the fire in time.

“We urge all residents to make sure they have smoke alarms fitted in their homes and test them weekly to check they are working correctly.”

The bedroom suffered ten per cent fire and 90 per cent smoke damage and there was 100 per cent smoke damage to the rest of the floor.