A FIRE officer repeated warnings for people to have home safety checks after a couple’s dramatic escape.
He highlighted the necessity of smoke alarms after two teenagers leaped to safety from a burning house in Elland.
And he admitted the house fire could well have claimed the lives of a young couple.
The 16-year-old male and his 15-year-old girlfriend had to climb down a drainpipe to flee the rented house in Elizabeth Street after the blaze started in the living room.
A family with two young children living in the back-to-back property behind also had to flee after smoke seeped through into their home just before 4am yesterday.
Watch commander Dave Boothroyd, from Elland fire station, said: “This young couple are lucky to be alive.
“The outcome could have been much worse, a tragedy.
“The smoke alarm was placed on a kitchen work surface and was not working.”
The drama unfolded shortly before 4am yesterday when the young man, who rented the house, was asleep in an upstairs bedroom with his girlfriend.
He awoke to discover the living room ablaze and the couple had to climb down a drainpipe to escape.
A man, woman and their five-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter also had to flee their home after smoke seeped from the terrace into their home.
The teenage couple and the man all had to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation at Calderdale Royal Hospital.
The front terrace house was badly damaged during the blaze and the whole building was smoke damaged.
Crews from Elland and Brighouse fought the blaze for around an hour.
Mr Boothroyd urged people to take advantage of free home fire safety checks which include free smoke detectors and fitting if necessary.
People should telephone 0800 587 4536 for an appointment.
