Firefighters rescue family of nine from serious house fire

Firefighters rescued nine people and a puppy from a serious blaze in Manchester Road, Castleton

Firefighters have this morning rescued nine people and a puppy from a serious blaze in Rochdale.

North West Fire Control (NWFC) received reports that a car was on fire at 3.30am this morning (Monday, December 29, 2014) on Manchester Road.

An intense fire, which started in a Volkswagen Golf parked underneath a window sill of a house, rapidly ripped through the building with a family of nine inside.

Approximately 20 firefighters from Rochdale, Littleborough, Heywood and Hyde stations rescued four adults, five children and a puppy who were all sleeping in the large two-storey building at the time the blaze broke out.

The family were assessed by paramedics at the scene but all declined hospital treatment.

The officer in charge of the incident, Station Manager Paul Whittaker, Said: “The first firefighters that attended could see that this was a well-developed fire. The fire involving a car had rapidly come into contact with the ground floor windows, spreading to the rest of the property.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus quickly searched the house and in doing so were able to safely lead a family and a puppy to safety.

“Crew worked incredibly hard to carry out the safe rescue of so many people and get the fire under control.”

Firefighters used hose reels and a large fan to extinguish the fire.

The cause of the fire is due to be investigated by Fire Investigation Officers later this morning.