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Fire crews from Minsterley and Shrewsbury were called to a kitchen fire last night at Broxtons Wood in Westbury. The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen area and the occupier was alerted by a smell of smoke. The rest of the family including three young children were able to escape whilst the occupier rescued two dogs, closed the door and called the Fire Service. There were no smoke detectors within the premises. The fire is thought to have been caused by a cigarette discarded in a waste bin and crews from Minsterley used Breathing Apparatus and a Hose Reel jet to extinguish the blaze. Crews fitted two smoke detectors within the house and placed leaflets through the doors of nearby properties warning of the dangers of fire and the importance of smoke detectors. Incident Commander Neil Griffiths said, “ We would encourage people to ensure that they have working smoke detectors within their houses to ensure they are given the earliest possible warning that a fire has occurred. This incident could have claimed the lives of a young family were it not for the fact that the occupier had smelt burning. If the fire had occurred when the family were asleep this could have had tragic consequences.” Crews will return to the area today to visit nearby properties to offer advice and warn of the dangers of ensuring that cigarettes are disposed of correctly.