WARREN HEATH: Firefighters today warned of the importance of working smoke alarms after a blaze engulfed a house garage, leaving the contents in ashes and the house filled with smoke.

A brother and sister, aged 24 and 28, were at their home in Penny Lane, Warren Heath, when a fire broke out in the garage shortly before 8.30am yesterday.

Fire crews from Colchester Road and Princes Street stations were on the scene within minutes to contain the blaze and stop it spreading into the rest of the house.

Concerned mum Lyn Jeffries said: “I was actually at work at Bluebird Lodge at the time.

“My daughter noticed it but I dread to think what would have happened if she hadn’t been here because my son’s room is on the other side of the house, so he probably wouldn’t have smelt it.”

Firefighters issued a reminder of the importance of working smoke alarms after it was found one of the alarms fitted at the home was out of order.

Watch manager Peter Tomson said: “On arrival there was smoke issuing from the garage.

“We opened the front of the garage up and there was a small fire in the left hand corner.

“At this stage we’re not quite sure of the exact cause but it’s possibly an electrical fire – perhaps an overload on the electrical circuits.”

Fire crews tackled the blaze using specialist breathing apparatus and a hose reel, and left the family with replacement smoke alarms to warn of future dangers.

Mrs Jeffries added: “We just want to say thank you to the firefighters for getting here in time – I was amazed at how quickly they got here – and for giving us some smoke alarms as well.

“I really appreciate what they’ve done.”