Couple rescued from ‘deliberate’ house fire

Fire-fighters rescued a man and woman from a blazing terraced house in Rochdale on Thursday morning.

The fire at the house on Royd Street is being treated as deliberate.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Control Centre received a call shortly before 00.50am from a very distraught woman saying that the downstairs of her house was on fire.

Crews from Littleborough and Rochdale Fire Stations were immediately mobilised to the address.

As the fire-fighters headed towards their destination, the Control Operator, Lynne Harrison, gave fire survival advice to the 24-year-old woman over the phone and kept her calm whilst colleagues passed information to the fire crews en route to the scene.

On arrival, fire-fighters used breathing apparatus, hose reels, smoke removal fans and an extension ladder to rescue the woman and a 23-year-old male from the rear bedroom of the property. Both were treated with oxygen by Fire Service Trauma Technicians before being taken to Oldham Royal Hospital.

Watch Manager, Gary Stredder, said: "This was a real team effort and a great result. Praise should go to the Control Centre who gave life-saving advice to the trapped couple, managing to keep the lady on the phone calm whilst colleagues gave important information to the crews about the fire and location.

"When we got to the scene we immediately went round the back of the terraced house and used ladders to reach the pair who were both suffering from the effects of smoke."

Liz Drummond, the Officer in Charge at the Control Centre, said: "The Control Operator, Lynne Harrison, used all of her training and experience to ensure that the trapped lady and gentleman took the right action to ensure their safety - including stopping them from jumping out of the back bedroom window which would have caused serious injury.

"Lynne advised the pair to use towels and bedding to block out smoke entering the back bedroom and gave lengthy reassurance to the, understandably anxious, caller that help was on its way.

"It's always pleasing when we can play our part in saving people's lives and Lynne certainly played her part in the way she dealt with this call."

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation but is being treated as deliberate.