Firestarter!

Maria Messen and her three children, Charlie, six, Ebony, four, and Callum, three, and friend Marion Dawes escaped with only minor smoke inhalation following the fire in the bedroom. It had been started by six-year-old Charlie, who found a cigarette lighter in his mum's room.

He set fire to a pile of quilts in the corner of his room, which he normally shares with younger brother Callum, who had been sleeping with his mum that night.

For Charlie, of Poplar Avenue, it was exciting seeing the firemen putting out the fire, although he regretted it afterwards.

"I just wanted to see what would happen," said Charlie. "I never wanted the fire to go big and now I have lost lots of my toys, I am really sorry."

Once Charlie realised the fire had got worse he told his mum.

Ms Messen, a full-time mum, said: "I looked inside the room and I could and everything was going black, I shut the bedroom door and got everyone outside.

"When the firemen got here they said closing the door was the best thing I could have done as it stopped the fire spreading to other parts of the house."

"We had no smoke alarms in the house, if we had had them we might have had an earlier warning, I might have been able to try and put out the fire myself."

Maria called the Fire Brigade from outside house after evacuating everyone.

Within minutes, 11 firefighters in two appliances from Stratton and Swindon fire stations were called to the family home on Poplar Avenue at just after 7.45am on Thursday.

Pete Townsend, Swindon Fire Station commander said: "The occupants were extremely lucky this time. In fact mains wired smoke detectors had at one time been fitted but had been removed by previous occupants.

"We initially checked at random a number of properties in the immediate area and found this to be the case in many of the homes."

Within hours, council officials had arrived to make the room habitable again by giving the room a new lick of paint.

John Short, director of Swindon Services said: "I am pleased that my team were able to respond so speedily and professionally and I hope we have helped the family to go back to a normal life as soon as possible."

Swindon Council is currently undertaking a smoke alarm-fitting scheme. By 2008, all 11,000 council houses will have fitted smoke alarms.

aosborne@newswilts.co.uk

Panel Fire Safety

Fires strike when you least expect it often between 10pm and 8am as this fire goes to show.

Swindon Community Fire Safety Officer, Fraser Drummond said: "To take out the batteries, disconnect or remove completely a smoke detector because it operates due to fumes from cooking, is to say the least, an extremely dangerous practice. The detector is only doing its job."

You can buy smoke alarms from DIY stores, hardware and electrical shops and from many supermarkets and convenience stores.

Wiltshire Fire Brigade offer some essential tips to ensure your smoke alarm can save your life.

Fit smoke alarms on each level of your home

Check the battery once a week

Replace the batteries every 12 months

Battery smoke alarm units should be changed every ten years

Consider installing 10-year smoke alarms or hard-wired alarms

really sorry."

Once Charlie realised the fire had got worse he told his mum.

Ms Messen, a full-time mum, said: "I looked inside the room and everything was going black. I shut the bedroom door and got everyone outside.

"When the firemen got here they said closing the door was the best thing I could have done as it stopped the fire spreading to other parts of the house.

"We had no smoke alarms in the house, if we had had them we might have had an earlier warning, I might have been able to try and put out the fire myself."

Maria called the Fire Brigade from outside house after evacuating everyone.

Within minutes, 11 firefighters in two appliances from Stratton and Swindon fire stations were called to the family home on Poplar Avenue at just after 7.45am on Thursday.

Pete Townsend, Swindon Fire Station commander said: "The occupants were extremely lucky this time. In fact mains wired smoke detectors had at one time been fitted but had been removed by previous occupants.

"We initially checked at random a number of properties in the immediate area and found this to be the case in many of the homes."

Within hours, council officials had arrived to make the room habitable again by giving the room a new lick of paint.

John Short, director of Swindon Services said: "I am pleased that my team were able to respond so speedily and professionally and I hope we have helped the family to go back to a normal life as soon as possible."

Swindon Council is currently undertaking a smoke alarm-fitting scheme.

By 2008, all 11,000 council houses will have fitted smoke alarms.

Anthony Osborne