| 3rd April 2008 |
Restaurant Fire Fire crews have spent nearly four hours dealing with a large restaurant fire in Sheffield, which started in the early hours of the morning. At 12:44am a call was received stating that the restaurant, on Chesterfield Road in Heeley, was well alight. Two appliances from Sheffield Central Fire Station and one from Mansfield Road attended the scene, along with an Aerial Ladder Platform from Darnall. Firefighters used breathing apparatus to tackle the fire in the three-storey Italian restaurant, which was not occupied. The two buildings on either side of the restaurant (which is in a terraced row) are residential, but firefighters managed to confine the fire to the roof area of the restaurant and it did not spread to either building. Watch Manager Des Omah from Central Fire Station said: "We managed to stop the fire spreading, but we did have to evacuate one of the residential buildings due to the smoke. Around five people left this building but were not injured." Crews used the Aerial Ladder Platform to remove tiles from the roof and, although there was significant damage to the restaurant, no-one was injured in the incident. Crews left the scene at 4:30am. The blaze is currently being treated as suspicious. A Fire Investigator from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue will return to the scene this morning to work with police to identify the cause of the blaze. SYFR Smoke Alarms Aid RescueSmoke alarms fitted by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue raised the alarm after fire struck a disabled woman's house in Bentley. The 45-year-old woman suffered only smoke inhalation after a fire in the living room of her warden-assisted premises at Chestnut Court. Firefighters from Adwick and Doncaster were called after the alarm was raised shortly before 8pm. They forced entry to the house, finding the woman on the floor by the rear patio door. She had managed to stifle the worst of the blaze using her own fire extinguisher and Watch Manager Barrie Newton said the incident could have been much worse: "Fortunately the activation of the smoke alarms we had fitted meant the occupier was alerted to take prompt action and fire crews were able to get there very quickly. We would urge all homeowners to contact us for a free home fire safety check, and free smoke alarms if needed, to help us ensure we can keep them safe." The woman was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary for treatment for smoke inhalation as a precaution. The cause of the fire is believed to have been accidental. To register for a free home fire safety check, call South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue on (0114) 253 2314. |