A ONE-YEAR-OLD tot was rescued from a fire in Skelmersdale at dawn this morning. The blaze had filled six flats with smoke when fire crews arrived.
They had to smash down each home's front door to get inside and free people who were trapped. Five adults were also pulled from the burning building, on Blakehall in the Digmoor area of Skelmersdale.
The baby and two others were taken to hospital where they were treated for smoke inhalation. There were no other reported injuries.
The fire started in an electricity box and investigators are working to find out if it was caused by faulty wiring.
Engineers from United Utilities were on the scene this morning. They cut the power to 66 homes for around five hours while they worked in the flats.
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I moved out of a block in Blythewood (an identical block to the one that had the fire) a few months back and the council had just fitted new fire alarms.
If Blakehall had been fitted with the same ones they don't seem to have done much good as if working they should have given plenty of warning. It looks like no one here got any alarm whatsoever.
I've heard a few comments on the radio saying it could have been caused by a ground floor electric meter which was due for replacement. Mine was supposed to be replaced last year but the Electric company never bothered turning up when they were supposed to..
My guess is the fault in the ground floor electrics cut the power supply to the fire alarm before the fire took hold.
