Woman critically ill after Telford house fire

The woman, in her 40s, was rescued from the first floor of a house in Brecknock Court, Leegomery, last night.

Two fire engines battled the flames at 10.30pm. The woman was described today as being critical but stable at Princess Royal Hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.

Two fire engines from Wellington and one from Telford Central stations battled the fire.

Elsewhere, firefighters faced a difficult challenge after a fire broke out in the roof space of a house in Bridgnorth.

The blaze started in the chimney of the house in Apley Park, spreading to the roof at about 4.15pm yesterday.

There was also fire in a kitchen at a house in Telford last night. The fire broke out at about 8.30pm in the two-storey house in Southgate, Sutton Hill.

And a traffic bollard was destroyed by fire in Telford. The bollard, on the roundabout at Station Road, Oakengates, was set on fire at about 5.30pm.

In Leegomery, neighbours today spoke of their shock to see smoke billowing out of a house in their street.

One neighbour said: "I heard some banging but didn't think much of it because we quite often have loud music played around here.

"But then it got louder and I came outside and saw smoking coming from the house across the road.

"Apparently one of the men who lives down the road was walking his dog and saw a flame through the window and rang the police.

"But when I looked at it all I could see was smoke coming out of the house. There were a lot of fire engines around."

Another neighbour said: "I heard some banging and thought it was my front door.

"I shouted out my window to see who it was but then I heard the banging get louder and it turned out the fire fighters were smashing down the door to rescue the woman who was trapped inside."

Fire investigators were today at the scene, but the cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious.

Watch Manager John Pritchard, from Wellington Fire Station, said: "We rescued one lady from the property and she was taken to Princess Royal Hospital by the ambulance service.

"She was trapped on the first floor, and we used breathing apparatus to go inside the house and rescue the woman.

"The seat of the fire was in the first-floor bedroom, but the cause has not yet been established and is being investigated today.

"Most of the damage was on the first floor of the property and was a mixture of fire and smoke damage."

Firefighters used six breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets and a covering jet to put the fire out, before using a fan to clear the house of smoke.

Steve Parry, a spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "We were called to the property at around 10.35pm. An ambulance and our hazardous area response team were also in attendance.

"She was taken to Princess Royal Hospital in Telford as she was suffering from smoke inhalation."