Man escapes as blaze rips through home

A 54-YEAR-OLD man escaped serious injury following a house fire in Coldhurst.

George Wylangowski, of Godson Street, woke up to find his house full of choking black smoke just before 8am yesterday.

A fire had started in the front room of the terrace property where he had been sleeping at the time.

Although a fire alarm was installed, it was not working properly.

Mr Wylangowski, who has lived at the house for a few months, managed to find his way out of the property and knock on a neighbour’s door for help.

He was given oxygen therapy at the scene but declined hospital treatment.

Mr Wylangowski said: “It was the smoke that woke me up. I’m just glad I got out alive.”

A concerned neighbour said: “There was thick smoke coming from the house. Mr Wylangowski was already out knocking on doors so a couple of residents called the fire brigade.”

The front room suffered 70 per cent fire damage while the rest of the house was smoke damaged.

Watch Commander Mike Harris, from Chadderton Fire Station, said: “It was quite a severe fire.

“The situation could definitely have been a lot worse if the resident had not been able to get out.

“We will be knocking on all the neighbouring properties to encourage residents to have properly working smoke alarms installed.”

An investigation has been launched into the cause of the blaze.