Bolton: Brave son rescues family from Tonge Moor house fire

Timothy Pope, aged 25, was only alerted to the blaze after smoke woke him up coughing.

He quickly rushed to wake-up the rest of his family to lead them to safety outside, while ringing the fire service.

Speaking to The Bolton News, Timothy said: “The coughing woke me up and I was about to go back to sleep when I saw the fire at the bottom of the bed.

“I just thought I have got to get my mum step-dad and nephew, who is only 10. It was when I opened my bedroom door the smoke alarm went off.

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  “I came out my room, booted my mum’s bedroom door in. I was on the phone to the fire service as I was getting my nephew out of the house I had to take him past my room on the landing, but I had shut the door."

The fire broke out in Colmore Grove in Tonge Moor on Friday just before 5.30am.

Timothy believes the fire, was csused by electrics, starting in the extension lead.

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And he is now warning people to be extra careful when using extension leads, and not to overload them or put them beside electrical equipment such as games consoles, which can become hot when used.

Timothy said: “The fire service were here within minutes. There were four engines and the firefighters were about to go inside the house thinking there were still people inside but I shouted that we were all out.

“The house is smoke damaged and my room will have to be stripped right back to the brick.”

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Timothy’s quick actions meant that the family got out of the house safely and that the blaze was contained to the bedroom.

The fire ripped through the bedroom and the rest of the house suffered smoke damage.

Now Timothy is urging people to ensure all extension leads in homes have a trip device and to be careful not to overpower them.

He said: “Had a trip device been fitted it could  have prevented the fire.

“Since the fire I haven’t been sleeping at night because of what happened.

“Now I don’t even charge my phone overnight like I used to. At night I turn off all the sockets.

“You see from the pictures what damage the fire caused."

And he reiterated the call by firefighters for people to make sure they have a working smoke alarm.

Timothy was checked over by paramedics because of the smoke but did not need hospital treatment.

Fire crews were on the scene for around one-and-a-half hours

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