FIREFIGHTERS have issued a warning to people with open fires after a blaze at a house in Rastrick.
Fire crews from Brighouse and Elland were called to the house in Clough Lane at 7.19am yesterday
It is believed a burning ember fell out of the fire overnight and had been smouldering on the carpet.
Watch manager Nigel Dodd, of Brighouse Fire Station, said the householder, who has not been named, was alerted by his burglar alarm.
There were no smoke detectors fitted in the property.
The man escaped the house and called the fire brigade.
Mr Dodd said that when fire crews arrived there was a great deal of smoke.
Inside they found a carpet had been set alight.
Investigators found that a burning ember had caused the blaze and Mr Dodd said: “There was a fire guard but it wasn’t close enough to the fire.
“An ember had landed on the carpet and had slowly smouldered.
“The occupant of the house was actually woken by his burglar alarm. A tamper sensor had gone off.”
There was said to be significant damage to the living room.
“Fortunately the door had been closed which prevented the fire from spreading,” said Mr Dodd.
“The warning must be that if you leave an open fire still burning make sure the fire guard is pushed right up preventing any embers from coming out of the fire.”
Mr Dodd also urged people to fit smoke detectors.
“Smoke detectors are life-savers,” he said. “Fit them and check them regularly.”
Ironically, the house in Clough Lane is close to the proposed site of the new Rastrick Fire Station which is currently subject to a planning wrangle.
