Fire chiefs urge safety first approach after blaze kills five

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue says people should fit smoke alarms and keep internal doors\!q closed at night to stop fire spreading.

The warning comes after coroner Chris Dorries recorded a verdict of accidental death on the victims of the house fire on Wake Road in Sheffield in April 2014 which killed three generations of one family.

Although the coroner said that the cause of the blaze was “undetermined” it spread quickly because doors within the house were kept open.

Although the house had fire alarms fitted, the family initially believed it to be a false alarm.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s head of community safety Kevin Ronan, said: “This was the most serious house fire in terms of loss of life that our crews have attended for many years. Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of those who died at what must be a time of enormous sorrow.

“Fires as serious as this are fortunately very rare, but when they do happen they affect our service personnel and the wider community very deeply.

“We’d remind people that whilst smoke alarms have the potential to save lives in house fires, they will only do so if people take the appropriate action when the alarm sounds – to get out, stay out and call 999.

“One of our main safety messages during talks and safety visits is to shut internal doors at night to stop the spread of a fire in the event one does occur. Unfortunately it does not appear that this happened at this incident, meaning the blaze spread incredibly quickly.”

Firefighters were praised during the inquest in Sheffield for their bravery, with Mr Dorries commending the first crew in attendance to the Chief Fire Officer for recognition.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus walked up a burning staircase in temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees celsius to search for casualties, the inquest heard.