A FIRE boss has urged residents to install smoke detectors in their homes after a potentially ‘severe’ blaze.

Roger Exley, station manager of Cumbria Fire & Rescue, has highlighted the significance of the life-saving devices after responding to a blaze involving a tumble dryer on Highfield Road, Barrow.

Three fire engines from Barrow, Ulverston and Walney were called to a building fire at 11.38pm on Tuesday evening.

Crews, who were in attendance for approximately one hour, extinguished the fire using one hose reel and two breathing apparatus.

Mr Exley said the blaze could have been ‘potentially quite severe’ if the residents had not been able to smell the smoke.

He said: “It was quite a severe fire inside the property.

“Luckily the residents smelt the fire before it was able to spread.

“They did not have a smoke detector fitted so this potentially could have been a really severe fire which engulfed the whole property.

“If the residents had had a smoke detector fitted, they could have been warned of the blaze much earlier before it was able to cause significant damage.

“When I saw the nature of the fire, I felt they had been really lucky to detect the fire when they did.”

Mr Exley is urging the public to regularly check their smoke detectors are in working condition and consult their local fire station for information or advice.