TWO people have been taken to hospital in the early hours of the morning following a house fire.
Fire crews from Swadlincote, Melbourne and the neighbouring Leicestershire fire station in Moira, attended the scene in Linton Heath, Linton, yesterday at 3.02am.
The casualties are believed to have been transferred to Burton’ Queen’s Hospital by land ambulance although it is not yet known how serious their conditions are.
A neighbour said he wasn’t aware of the fire but had been woken up by blue flashing lights
The elderly man, who did not want to be named, said: “I was sleeping downstairs in my living room and I was woken up by these flashing lights through my window even though the curtains were shut but I thought it might have been an ambulance, I didn’t think anything was on fire.
“I wasn’t evacuated.”
The house has been sealed off, with the front door blackened from smoke, and the first floor window open.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said an investigation had started but would not release the supposed cause of the fire.
A spokesman said: “Crews arrived on the scene to make the area safe and the property secure and two casualties were taken to hospital.
“Crews from Swadlincote, Moira and Melbourne attended the ground floor of a two storey terrace home.
“Two fire fighters used breathing apparatus. One hose reel jet was used as well as a covering and a safety jet.
The fire was extinguished by 4.21am and crews left the scene at 4.29am after dampening down the area.
A spokesman for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said that while its Moira did attend, it switched the service to Derbyshire and their breathing apparatus was withdrawn
A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said the force had been informed of the house fire by the fire service but officers were not required to attend. It is not believed to be suspicious.
A spokesman for East Midlands Ambulance Service was not available for comment on the condition of the casualties at the time the Mail went to press.
