Barking dog saves woman from blaze

A BARKING dog raised the alarm – and probably saved its owner’s life – after fire broke out in a first floor flat at Warrington.
The blaze was at a first floor flat in Longshaw Street, Bewsey and was started by an overheated chip pan on a cooker in the kitchen.
A woman occupant had fallen asleep after starting to cook a meal but was awoken by the dog barking and managed to escape, despite suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.
The fire caused extensive damage throughout the flat before firefighters, wearing breathing apparatus, tackled the flames with two hosereel jets.
A ventilation unit was used to clear smoke from the premises but fire damage was so severe that the flat was left uninhabitable. The woman did not require hospital treatment and the dog was also unharmed.
The blaze was late on Saturday night.
A fire service spokesman said no smoke alarm had been fitted in the flat.