Couple escape ‘silent killer’

OUR HEROES: Joe and Florence with firefighters Graham Cooper and David Harrison, who spoted the leak

FIREFIGHTERS discovered a carbon monoxide leak during a free home safety check — and potentially saved the lives of householders Joe Garforth and his wife Florence, both 84.

Joe, who had been sleeping for up to 18 hours a day and feeling sick, was unaware he was breathing in the odourless, colourless but deadly fumes — often dubbed the “silent killer”.

The firefighters met Florence by chance at Shaw market and prompted her to get her smoke alarms checked. When they visited the couple’s home in Rochdale Road, Shaw, Joe’s symptoms rang alarm bells among crew members

After noticing a leak around a flue, they took the pensioners to their fire engine to keep warm and Joe was given oxygen before an ambulance took them to hospital for checks.

The pair are now back at home after their lucky escape a fortnight ago - and are both grateful to their “lifesavers”.

Florence said: “I am so very grateful; the firefighters were absolutely wonderful. They just couldn’t do enough for us. They turned the gas off and made everything safe, they even rang the Red Cross and my daughter and made sure we had somewhere to stay.

“They have even come back and fitted a new carbon monoxide alarm.”

Joe added: “They were marvellous. I don’t know how they found it, but I’d not been so well. They did a great job.”

Firefighter Graham Cooper explained Florence had taken an alarm down, believing it was faulty — but officers actually discovered it was a carbon monoxide alarm.

He said “She explained it was from the back bedroom, where Joe sleeps, which was also where their boiler was.”

Daughter Joanne said: “The firefighters are just lifesavers — as simple as that. They were wonderful and sorted everything out. We just can’t thank them enough.”

Chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, Councillor David Acton, urges residents to contact their local crews and ask about a free Home Safety Check, which may include the fitting of smoke alarms. Visit www.manchesterfire.gov.uk for more information.