Smoke alarm saves dog but not sausages

Having put her three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier Kallie in the kitchen to stop her chewing her way round the house, Alison Dyke left her home in Snowdrop Close, Littlehampton, on Thursday to pick up her two boys from school.

But Alison, who works at the Summerlea School in Rustington, had forgotten about the sausages left simmering on the cooker.

Around 30 minutes later, a phone call from a neighbour told Alison that her house was on fire and she had better get home quick.

Alerted by the sound of the smoke-alarm going off, the quick-thinking neighbour called the fire service which got two fire engines and 11 firefighters to the scene in minutes.

Firefighters broke a window to get into the house and save the dog . . . but unfortunately they were too late to save the sausages.

Mrs Dyke said: "The fire brigade were brilliant. They tidied up the mess and broken glass from where they came in through the window and Hoovered the floor. I said they could stay and clean the rest of the house.

"They were so kind and didn't make me feel stupid at all. They said that leaving the oven on is easily done when you've got things on your mind and it's a good job I've got smoke alarms and alert neighbours.

"A man from the housing association has already been round to board up the window and measure for a new one. There's no major damage, just a real stink of burned sausages, which will take a few days to air.

"Kallie is fine and was being walked by a neighbour called Clinton to clear her lungs by the time I got back to the house.

"I want to thank all my neighbours, Georgina Toy, Donna Baker, Lindsey Collins, Clinton and others for their help and the fire brigade which was great."

Littlehampton fire commander Trevor Worsfold said: "If anybody has not got a smoke alarm, the fire service will provide a free home fire safety check and fit free smoke alarms where they are needed.

"They are a real life-saver because they detect fires early. If you hear a smoke alarm going off, investigate it and if you get no response from inside the property call 999 and ask for the fire brigade."

For your free fire safety check call 0800 3286487.