A woman who used a wood burner to heat her home due rocketing energy costs has seen her house destroyed in a devastating blaze.
Fire crews were alerted to the blaze in Chopwell, Gateshead, at around 10pm on January 2, and arrived to find the woman’s home engulfed by flames.
They tackled the inferno using thermal imaging cameras, and later discovered the cause of the fire was a wood burning stove which the woman had been using to keep warm to avoid switching on the heating.
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Luckily, she was able to escape the property before the fire took hold, but was later taken to hospital with suspected burn injuries.
And today, Paul Thompson, group manager at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, urged people to rethink their “heating hacks” due to safety concerns.
“We know times are tough and people feel like there is no other option than these alternative ways to heat their home but they are putting themselves in danger,” he said.
“There are much safer ways to keep yourself and your home warm this winter and you can find lots of information on our website.
"We also want to remind people to never tackle a fire themselves and would always encourage you to get to safety and call 999. Throwing water on a fire caused by oil igniting or an electrical fire can be disastrous, this can cause a fire to spread even further.”
Paul also encouraged people to check their smoke alarms as “they are the first line of defence when it comes to fighting fires and keeping you safe”.
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