Family Flees After Fridge Freezer Sparks Devastating Southampton Blaze
A family had to bolt from their Southampton home after their fridge freezer caught fire, sending smoke pouring through their kitchen and wrecking their house.
Smoke Alarm Saves Lives in Silverdale Road Fire
The terrifying blaze broke out around 3pm on Silverdale Road. The family noticed the choking smoke wafting from the kitchen downstairs and managed to escape unscathed. Neighbours helped them to safety and spoke of the chaos.
“It’s turned our life around in the space of an hour,” said a neighbour. “The smoke alarms went off just in time — this really highlights why they’re essential.”
Kitchen Totalled, Appliances Destroyed
Firefighters say the cause was an electrical fault inside the fridge freezer. The fire gutted the entire kitchen and ruined all the appliances beyond repair. Smoke damage spread through half the house, leaving the family with a massive cleanup and repair job.
“The whole kitchen is beyond use. Everything needs ripping out and replastering,” the family said. “We have a long road ahead getting the house back to normal.”
Hampshire Firefighters Battle Flames with Full Force
Eighteen firefighters from St Mary’s and Hightown stations rushed to the scene. They fought the blaze using four breathing apparatus, two jets, a hose reel, and positive pressure ventilation to clear smoke and flames from the terraced property.
Thankfully, thanks to quick thinking and working smoke alarms, no one was hurt. But the silver lining in this fiery disaster is a stark reminder to all to keep alarms tested and appliances checked.
