A smoke alarm helped people escape their home in Essex and call for help before a fuseboard fire became more dangerous.

The blaze began just after 10am at a home in The Street, Little Waltham, near Chelmsford.

Firefighters arrived to find the fuseboard in the utility room was alight and worked to contain the fire, putting it out by 11am.

Station officer Stuart Hay of Chelmsford Fire Station said: “This incident highlighted exactly why having a smoke alarm in your home is so important. The occupants heard their alarm go off and were able to safely exit their home and call us out before it became more serious.

“They followed our advice perfectly: get out, stay out and call the fire service out. Fortunately, our crews were able to extinguish the fire relatively quickly and keep damage to a minimum.”

The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service wants every home to be protected by working smoke alarms.

People can book a home safety visit when firefighters will provide and fit smoke alarms free of charge.

Call 0300 303 0088 or book online here.