9:42am Friday 18th April 2008
A FAMILY in Winchester had a lucky escape when an old electric blanket caught fire in the early hours of the morning.
Firefighters from Winchester were called to a house in Fox Lane, Stanmore, shortly after 3am yesterday (April 17).
A spokeswoman for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said that the adult daughter of the family was returning home from work in the early hours and her parents had switched on the blanket in readiness.
She said a male in the house, which contained three adults and two children, tried to tackle the fire and throw the bedding out of the window of the first floor bedroom.
A total of 12 firefighters from Winchester attended and two, wearing breathing apparatus, put out the fire.
The damage was confined to the bed, with some smoke damage, but the spokeswoman said a metre-wide circle of the mattress was burnt away.
Watch manager Daniel Miles, of HFRS's community safety department, said: "The occupants of the two-storey property included three adults and two children, all of whom had a lucky escape.
"Although electric blankets have to comply with strict safety standards when they are sold, they do wear with age, and can become damaged.
"Blankets in poor condition are a fire hazard and they put people seriously at risk.
"Everyone needs to be aware of the safety issues around electric blankets. Every year more than 1,000 house fires are started as a result of faulty electric blankets; around 20 people are killed and over 150 people injured as a result."
The fire service is now reminding people to check their electric blankets and replace old ones.
It carries out free checks in an annual campaign each autumn. For details, visit www.hfrs.gov.uk.
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