Fifteen firefighters tackle Smethwick house fire
A woman was lucky to escape unharmed after a fire started at her Smethwick home which did not have a working smoke alarm.
Flames engulfed the utility room of the property on Lewisham Road around 6.36pm yesterday.
In total 15 firefighters were dispatched to the scene as a crew from Smethwick and two from Handsworth responded to an emergency call.
Four firefighters in breathing apparatus extinguished the blaze more than half an hour after arrival.
It is suspected the fire came from the freezer.
The flames completely burnt out the room where the appliance was stored and caused smoke damage to the entire house.
Crews left the scene at 9.30pm.
Crew commander Tony Calder, from Smethwick Fire Station, said: "There was one woman at the property when we arrived but she had already got out of the building.
"She was very lucky because the home had no smoke alarm.
"This incident acts as a warning to others and we would like to stress the importance of homes having working smoke alarms."
