Girl rescued from house fire after Christmas decorations catch alight

A child was rescued from her bedroom by firefighters at an upstairs flat on Clifton Terrace, Deans, South Shields in the early hours of the morning.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Services were called to a the blaze at the property at 2.37am and had arrived on the scene minutes later, on Friday, December 13.

The fire was started in the living room of the two-storey terraced property, when radiated heat from a gas fire ignited decorations and craft materials, the fire service has said.

Fire crews had to break down the front door of the house.

The girl was given oxygen and a check up, she but did not require hospital treatment.

A woman escaped the fire before the emergency services arrived. She was also given oxygen and was treated for shock. But she was otherwise physically unharmed and did not require hospital treatment either.

Fire fighters say that the living room and kitchen were completely damaged by smoke and around 60% of the ground floor had been on fire.

Three appliances attended the fire, one from the Hebburn Community Fire Station and two from South Shields. A hose reel and four breathing apparatus were used to tackle the blaze.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Services has urged everyone to keep their Christmas decorations well away from any fire, or other source of light or heat.