A seven-year-old girl saved her neighbour's life after she heard a smoke alarm going off.
Olivia Ramsay woke up to the sound of a smoke alarm while having a slumber party with her mum Samantha Breckon, 31, who is known as Sam.
She woke her mum up and asked her to check all of the smoke alarms in their home in Shiney Row, Houghton-le-Spring. Sam checked but none of them were sounding.
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But the worried youngster wouldn't let it lie and they decided to call the fire service, after assuming it must be at one of their neighbours' houses.
At the property next door, the kitchen was on fire and the occupier was asleep. Thanks to their call, firefighters were able to reach the property within two minutes.
The man was rescued from the home, checked over by paramedics and taken to hospital as a precaution.
Mum-of-three Sam said "It's terrace houses on our street but next door are flats so I couldn’t be sure which one was going off. My two boys were asleep upstairs and didn’t hear a thing that night – sleeping safe and sound.
"I’m really proud of Olivia, if it wasn’t for her waking up who knows what could have happened."
Olivia had recently had a school visit from firefighters who told her if you hear a smoke alarm going off for a while call 999 as it could be an emergency.
They called Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) at 5.22am on January 24 to inform them off the smoke alarm going off at one of their neighbours' houses. Crews were sent to the scene from Rainton Bridge, Washington and Farringdon Community Fire Stations.
Group Manager Steven Thomas, head of prevention and education for TWFRS, said: "It’s great to know the school visits we deliver have a positive impact that children understand our potentially lifesaving safety messages and can act upon them when needed, to keep their families, friends and neighbours safe. Olivia’s quick response that day saved a life and we are grateful she called us and we were able to get to the property so quickly.
"I want to thank our fire control and crews who attended that night without their quick response who knows what could have happened. This incident is a reminder that it’s important that you test your smoke alarms regularly to make sure they are working in case of emergency.
"If you don’t have working smoke alarms or something doesn’t appear right, get in touch via our website and we can arrange a free safe and well visit."
TWFRS fit smoke and heat detectors for free.
Anybody can request a Safe and Well Check, which includes the fitting of free smoke alarms and advice, by calling TWFRS on their freephone number 0800 032 7777 or filling in their online form.
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