A man and woman are in a critical condition in hospital after a serious house fire.
Firefighters were called to the detached property on Delph Lane in Daresbury at 12.43am on Monday. Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) said they found the house “well alight” on the ground floor, with “persons reported inside”.
Five appliances attended from Runcorn, Widnes, Frodsham, Lymm and Warrington, supported by ambulance crew and police who shut the road. In an update at 2.45am, CFRS said two casualties had been rescued and taken to hospital, and six firefighters in breathing apparatus were using four hose jets to extinguish the flames, which had spread to the roof.
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Crews remained at the scene through the night, damping down the tackling hotspots.
The fire service said a request was made for Halton Borough Council building control to attend, and for the energy supply company to shut off the electricity. At 1.30pm on Monday, CFRS said its teams were still on site tackling flare-ups and hotspots.
Fire investigators were able to enter to start their investigation following a structural survey, while an aerial platform worked to remove tiles from the roof. Delph Lane remained closed into Monday afternoon.
A Cheshire Police spokesman told the ECHO the cause was believed to have been “accidental” but a full investigation would take place.
He said the two casualties were taken to Whiston and Warrington hospitals. North West Ambulance Service said both patients were transported by road.
The police spokesman said: “At around 12.50am on Monday, December 12, police were called to reports of a house fire at an address on Delph Lane, Daresbury.
“Police and fire attended the address and the property was well alight. Officers closed the road while firefighters worked hard to tackle the fire.
“Two people were rescued from the address, a man and a woman, and passed to the care of paramedics.
“One of the casualties was taken to Whiston Hospital and the second was taken to Warrington Hospital, they are both currently in a critical condition. Delph Lane remains closed at this time.
“The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental, however Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service are now undertaking a full investigation into the cause of the fire.”
Delph Lane lies close to the eastern outskirts of Runcorn and within the Halton local authority boundary.
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