Firefighters were praised after saving the lives of a cockatiel, a cat and her kittens during a fierce house fire.
Two crews from Braintree arrived at the house in High Garrett, near Braintree, after a neighbour raised the alarm just after noon yesterday when the smoke alarms were activated.
The neighbour told firefighters the house had pets trapped inside and they forced the door open to tackle the blaze, which had started in the kitchen.
It was believed the fire began due to an electrical fault.
A cockatiel, five six-week-old kittens and their mother were saved from the blaze by firefighters using breathing apparatus in the house which was heavily smoke logged.
They managed to get the fire under control in the kitchen, which was destroyed, and the rest of the house was damaged by smoke.
Station officer Steve Windtrip said: "In the best traditions of the service, we did what we do best and managed to save them all."
He added: "Had they not had a smoke detector, the fire would have gone unnoticed."
Owner of the house, mother-of-two Marion Philipson was out at her daughter's birthday party when she was called back.
She said: "I was just relieved that was all that happened. The pets were my main concern and I am happy that they are OK."
Published Thursday July 29, 2004
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