Three escape as fierce blaze rips through farmhouse

THREE people had a lucky escape when they fled a blazing farmhouse in Bardsley early this morning.

Alerted by a smoke alarm as a fierce blaze ripped through the living room and up the staircase, they managed to get out before fire-fighters arrived.

All three — a 75-year-old man, a 72-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl — were given oxygen therapy by fire service first-aid technicians before they were taken to hospital as a precaution.

The fire was discovered shortly after 1am, and 15 fire-fighters from Oldham, Hollins and Chadderton battled to get the flames under control. They spent three hours at the scene at Bardsley Fold Farm, off Ashton Road, which runs as a cattery and stables.

The blaze was confined to the farmhouse and no animals were injured.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but is suspected to have been caused by carelessly-discarded smoking materials.

Watch commander Mark Beswick, from Oldham fire station, said: “The fire was well alight in the living room and stairs when we arrived.

“We used six crew wearing breathing apparatus and two hose reels to put out the fire, which destroyed the two areas.”

The rest of the farm was badly damaged by heat and smoke, and fire-fighters spent three hours at the scene.

Mr Beswick said the three had had a lucky escape, due to the fact the farmhouse had fire alarms.

Urging all householders to make sure they had working fire alarms fitted, he added: “The fire could have had very serious consequences had there not been smoke alarms.”