Over the past eight days, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) crews have responded to a number of significant property fires. The incidents occurred at both commercial and residential properties.

At 04:53am on Monday 28 November, six fire engines, the joint incident command unit, and the aerial ladder platform attended a house fire on Grosvenor Street in Barrow-in-Furness. The fire involved a mid-terraced property and was extinguished by crews using two main jets and two hose reels. One casualty was taken to hospital following smoke inhalation and burns.

A joint Police and Fire Investigation is ongoing to identify the cause of this fire.

Fire Investigation reports from the three recent house fires in the Barrow area show that these fires are not linked, it is purely coincidental. The causes of the incidents last week have been identified as one due to an electrical fault and one accidental.

Cumbria FRS crews will be present in the area over the next few days to provide reassurance to the local community and answer any fire safety questions residents may have.

Andy Lee, Area Manager at Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said:

“Cumbria FRS crews responded swiftly to this incident, with the 999 call being received to fire control at 4:53am, and crews were on scene within seven minutes, at 05:00 to find the property well alight.

“I’d like to reiterate that it is unusual in Cumbria for us to see a series of property fires in the same geographical area in such a short space of time. However, these incidents are not connected.

“It’s important our homes are as safe as they possibly can be from fire and we recognise the important role of working smoke alarms in all settings but also would like to reiterate that smoke alarms are a last chance to stay safe and do give a warning but sometimes this can still not stop people from suffering harm from smoke and fire.

“Working smoke alarms do save lives, but they are a small part of staying safe from fire, they do not extinguish fire or guarantee a safe escape from the property. They should be used as part of a ‘staying safe from fire’ toolkit which includes, maintaining clear escape routes, keeping doors shut to prevent smoke travel and fire spread, reducing the sources of ignition and being safe when cooking.

“People with reduced mobility or other health conditions may not be able to evacuate as easily as others and may need increased fire safety measures, we carry out 10,000 home visits every year to ensure smoke alarms are working and that people have a plan in case a fire does occur. A full suite of safety advice can be found on our website Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service – Safety at home | Cumbria County Council and Fire Kills – Test your smoke alarm now and every month.

“We have an online home safety tool that can be used by people to assess their own fire risk and the risk to loved ones and are encouraging everyone to spend ten minutes on this site to increase their fire safety awareness and safety.”