December 24, 2013 10.07 am This story is over 123 months old

Lincoln firefighters’ safety check saves family from deadly gas leak

Keeping us safe: Lincoln firefighters attended a routine home fire safety check last week only to discover a potentially fatal gas leak.
Photo: File/LCC

A crew from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue attended a routine home fire safety check last week only to discover a potentially fatal gas leak.

The team from the Lincoln South fire station were mid-way through a safety check when they smelt gas in the hallway of the house.

They advised the occupants to immediately isolate the gas supply and contact the National Gas Emergency Service.

But just seconds after, the crew were rushed away to attend to an emergency response call.

They returned to complete the safety check a few hours later and the homeowner had followed their instructions.

An investigation would later reveal that there was a major leak coming from the boiler, which could have triggered a lethal explosion or even suffocated the inhabitants.

The Home Fire Safety Check is a free way to protect your home from fires.

Firefighters from local stations will visit homes and if you do not already have at least one working smoke alarm, the crew will install one free-of-charge.

Every home in Lincolnshire is eligible for a free home fire safety visit, as part of an ongoing drive to reduce the number of fires in the county. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue carried out 11,337 Home Fire Safety Checks in homes across the county last year.

Dave Gilbert, Station Manager at Lincoln South fire station, said: “I’m really proud of the crew for identifying this gas leak and helping the occupants to deal with it.

“I think it was a case of having the right people, in the right place, at the right time, to prevent this incident from becoming a tragedy.

“I would encourage everyone to book in a free Home Fire Safety Visit. If you’re interested, please call us on 01522 580397, visit our website, www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/LFR or email [email protected].”