Lucky escape for Slindon family as pan fire destroys mobile home

Firefighters were called to the property on Shellbridge Road when the woman realised a kitchen fire had started.

She and her two children, both boys aged ten, were outside when they heard the property's smoke alarm sounding.

She rushed in to find an unoccupied pan on the hob cooker had burst into flames. She immediately evacuated and took her children to a safe distance from the 12m X 5m home before she called the fire service.

Crews from Arundel, Chichester, Bognor Regis and Shoreham fire stations tackled the blaze. It took more than three hours to put it out.

The family stayed inside a neighbour's home during the incident, after the fire began at 4.35pm last Thursday, August 13.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service's deputy district commander Lee Street said: "The occupier did very well to immediately vacate the premises and call the fire service out. She ensured that herself and her children were safe.

"Crews arrived at the property '“ a large isolated static home '“ at 4.47pm.

"Unfortunately, it was already completely alight and, after over an hour of firefighting, the property was declared 80 per cent damaged by fire and 20 per cent damaged by smoke. The cause was a pan of cooking that had been left unattended.

"This was a very unfortunate incident for the owner but it could have been much worse if not for the smoke alarm installed in the property.

"As they are designed to do, the alarm gave her an early warning to the danger and gave her and her children time to escape.

"We would like to remind people we do offer home safety checks for static mobile homes. I would urge people in homes such as this to sure they have a working fire alarm.

"Many more people are now holidaying in and living in places such as this. It is very important to be protected from fire."

He also urged occupiers of mobile homes to ensure cooking was never left unattended and electrical appliances were switched off or unplugged, where possible, before they went to bed or left the property for any time.

He also advised them to have a water or dry powder extinguisher inside the property close to the door.

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