Firefighters tackle house blaze in Dunoon

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FIREFIGHTERS tackled a blaze in residential properties in Loch Eck, Dunoon last night.

At around 6.30pm, crews from Dunoon and Strachur were mobilised to a fire in two semi-detached bungalows at Alt Na Blataich by Loch Eck, Dunoon. Within minutes firefighters arrived at the scene to find a growing fire in the roof space of both bungalows.  

It soon became clear that due to the nature of the blaze that there was a risk of rapid fire spread which could be potentially dangerous to those in and around the property.

The Incident Commander on the scene deployed three firefighting teams who donned breathing apparatus and searched both properties to confirm that all residents had been evacuated before extinguishing the fire using three hose reel jets.

Firefighters  remained on scene until around 9.15pm, bringing the incident to a safe conclusion.

Strathclyde Fire & Rescue is urging everyone to keep warm safely during the cold snap. Portable heaters are a major cause of concern, as are faulty electric blankets which cause around 5,000 electrical fires in the UK every year.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, Director of Community Safety, said: "Keeping warm safely is vital to avoid causing a fire in your home. There is a real risk, particularly when people fall asleep, that items like clothing and bedding can catch fire if a portable heater is left switched on."

"If someone falls asleep in this situation, a smoke alarm could be their only chance of waking up. I'd urge everyone to check their smoke alarms."

 "If you don't have a smoke alarm or know a relative, friend or neighbour who doesn't have one, the local fire crew will fit one free of charge."

 To get a free Home Fire Safety Visit by SFR firefighters, simply freephone 0800 0731 999 or click here.