Neighbours save Whitchurch man from house fire

A north Shropshire man had a lucky escape after neighbours banged on his door when they spotted his home on fire.

The university student was checked over for smoke inhalation after the blaze broke out in Wrexham Road, Whitchurch, at about noon yesterday.

The fire was caused by a refrigerator catching light.

Home owner Elizabeth Roberts, who was working in nearby Malpas at the time, said her son was alone in the property and woken up by her neighbours banging on the front door.

She said things could have been a lot worse for her son and the house if it was not for the action of her neighbours who saw smoke coming out of the property.

Mrs Roberts said: "A big thank you must go to my neighbours who saw smoke coming out of the house and were banging on the door.

"My son, who was back from university, was asleep at the time, but thankfully he is alright.

"It has caused quite a bit of damage to the kitchen and utility. We have had to chuck some stuff away and there is some smoke damage.

"The firefighters were fantastic. They were quickly on scene and without their help things could have been a lot worse."

Steve Parry, a spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "We were called at 12.18pm and sent one vehicle and an officer to the scene.

"There was one patient already out of the building on arrival and was checked over for smoke inhalation."

Firefighters from Whitchurch, Prees and Wem attended the scene and used one hose reel jet, breathing apparatus and a thermal image camera.