A house fire over the weekend is prompting West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service to renew its message to residents about the importance of checking smoke alarms.
Firefighters found that the Littlehampton property’s smoke alarm had been taken down because the battery was low and had started beeping.
Fortunately, all the residents in the property were able to evacuate safely before the fire service arrived. Sadly though, the family’s pet cat and hedgehog did not survive the fire.
The fire broke out at The Blatchen in the early hours of Saturday morning. Firefighters remained in the area on Saturday delivering leaflets on home fire safety and offering advice.
Nicki Peddle, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s Head of Prevention, said: “We really cannot overstate the importance of having a working smoke alarm on every floor of your property. If the worst happens and a fire breaks out, having a working smoke alarm will warn you that something is wrong, giving you the greatest chance of evacuating the property quickly and safely.
“We would encourage all residents to take part in Test It Tuesday and make a habit of testing their smoke alarms once a week. If your smoke alarm starts to beep, that means that the battery needs to be changed. Your smoke alarm will still continue to function while it is beeping, but you should change the battery as a matter of priority. If your smoke alarm has a built in battery the smoke alarm will need to be replaced."
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