Elderly couple’s lucky escape from house fire

Firefighters were called to the house on Moorcroft Drive at around 12.45am.

The couple, who had been asleep upstairs, were woken by their fire alarms after the fire started in a back storage room downstairs.

Firefighter Chris Stenson, of Dewsbury Fire Station, said: “The fact that the couple were alerted to the fire early on by the alarms was an important factor in them getting out of the house safe.

“They were able to phone us from a safe place upstairs, and then when we arrived the gentleman was able to come down and let us in. Then we helped escort the lady downstairs.”

Firefighters believe the fridge freezer had been smouldering for a while before the blaze broke out.

Officers from Dewsbury and Cleckheaton put out the blaze using breathing apparatus and two hose reels.