A FATHER and son had a lucky escape after smoke alarms previously fitted by Cheshire Fire alerted them to a chip pan blaze in the kitchen.

Flames broke out at 1.10pm on Monday on Silverdale Road in Lower Walton after the pan had been left on the hob.

Son Paul Pickering, aged 52, said: “I was only upstairs for five minutes and heard the smoke detector going off in the hallway.

“If the alarm hadn't gone off then I wouldn't have had time to get out.

“I can’t believe how quick the fire spread.”

Cheshire Fire said the pair were lucky to escape with minor burns after attempting to tackle the fire themselves before dialling 999.

Paul Jackson, station manager, said: “This incident has proved that smoke alarms do save lives.
“They did their job and gave this family valuable time to escape.

“I would advise anyone in the same situation to close the door on the fire if they can, then get out, stay out and call us out.”

Following the blaze, Cheshire Fire’s post fire support team helped with the clean-up operation and Mr Pickering was also given a free deep fat fryer by Warrington’s community fire safety team so he did not need to use a chip pan in the future.