Dog alerts family to roof blaze

AN INQUISITIVE dog was hailed a hero after she saved a home from being seriously damaged in a blaze.

Milly, a chocolate Labrador, became worried and started dashing in and out of a semi-detached house in Colchester Road, Ipswich.

Her owner, Jill Wright, was sunbathing in the back garden and decided to investigate what was concerning the young family pet.

She looked up and saw the roof was on fire and when she rushed upstairs and opened the loft hatch she could hear crackling as the flames started to take hold among the family possessions.

Mrs Wright alerted the fire brigade who only had to travel a short distance from the main headquarters in Colchester Road and she was full of praise for the dog and the fire brigade.

''I have no idea how the fire started and in the loft is where we keep old possessions, mostly the children's things, old books and Christmas decorations.

''Over the road there was someone working on a car that was smoking and at first I wondered if the smoke was blowing over us.

''The firemen have done an excellent job - I am glad they are only just up the road,'' she said.

However, the turntable ladder had to come from Bury St Edmunds and two firemen used it to access the roof and strip off tiles to douse the smouldering fire.

Mrs Wright's husband Terry, a central heating engineer, was at work at the time of the blaze on Saturday lunchtime and daughter Nichola, 29, had left the property shortly before the fire started.

A Golden Retriever, Harry, and a cockatiel, Tommy, were uninjured in the incident.

Police officers had to close the road while the crews from four fire engines tackled the fire. Geoff Pyke, assistant divisional officer, said: ''We were called to what was thought to be a chimney fire, but on our arrival it was quite clear to see that we had a roof on fire.

''We had to check that the fire had not spread to the next door neighbour's loft. It was smoke-logged but the fire had not spread.''