A person has died in hospital following a fire inside a home.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) were called to a serious house fire at Sandringham Drive in St Helens on Monday, April 15 at 9.56am. Firefighters found the first floor of the house involved in fire as well as within the roof space.
North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) also attended and one casualty was brought out of the property by firefighters into the care of paramedics and was taken to hospital. In an update, the fire service confirmed the person who was inside the house has died.
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The fire service did not reveal who the person was, but it is understood they are a woman. A total of six firefighters in breathing apparatus were on scene and used three hose reel jets to fight the fire in both the property where the fire originated and a neighbouring property which showed signs of smoke issuing from the roof and the fire was rapidly extinguished.
A joint investigation between MFRS and Merseyside Police found the fire was accidental. A spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue said they believe the cause of the fire was caused "accidentally by smoker's materials".
Area Manager Mark Thomas said: “This is a devastating incident, and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of the person involved. I would like also to commend the efforts of our fire control staff and our fire crews who acted quickly to retrieve the casualty and North West Ambulance Service colleagues who made every effort to provide emergency resuscitation for the casualty.
"The investigation initially indicates that the fire started in a bedroom and was likely caused accidentally by smoker’s materials. We would advise anyone who does smoke to do so carefully, ensure cigarettes are properly extinguished in a heavy ashtray and please never smoke in bed or when sleepy. If possible, smoke outside or try to give up smoking altogether.
"Smoke alarms had alerted people nearby who did exactly the right thing by calling 999 - please ensure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and check them regularly. If you hear a smoke alarm sounding, dial 999, every second can make a difference.”
Firefighters and MFRS prevention staff will visit the local area to provide vital fire safety advice and complete free home fire safety checks as part of a reassurance campaign in the coming days.
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