Firefighters say a smoke alarm may have saved lives when a blaze broke out in a Halstead home.

A family in Stanley Road escaped unhurt and were able to call the emergency services after the fire started in a bedroom.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus took just minutes to get the blaze under control.

They managed to contain the fire to the bedroom which suffered severe smoke and heat damage.

Station officer Nigel Acres said: "They were very lucky that they had a smoke detector fitted.

"No life or property was lost because they had a smoke alarm."

The fire started just after 3pm yesterday.

Mr Acres added: "We spent about ten minutes extinguishing the blaze and another 20 minutes making the area safe."

The blaze is believed to have started when a match which had not been put out properly was thrown into a waste paper basket.

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