A fire sparked by a toaster caused significant damage to a kitchen in a terraced house in north Taunton on Friday, April 24, around 2:30 pm. The blaze quickly filled the home with smoke, prompting a rapid response from firefighters from Taunton and Wellington.
A passerby heroically rescued a woman trapped inside before emergency services arrived. Both the rescued woman and the Good Samaritan were treated on-site by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service personnel with first aid and oxygen. An ambulance was also dispatched to the scene for further medical attention.
Fire crews arrived to find smoke billowing from the two-story building. They promptly deployed breathing apparatus, hose reel jets, thermal imaging cameras, and a positive pressure ventilation fan to control the fire and clear the smoke.
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The fire was traced to a toaster in the ground-floor kitchen, which suffered significant damage. The rest of the property, while spared from the flames, experienced mild smoke damage.
In an official statement, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that all occupants had evacuated safely, thanks in part to the swift actions of the passerby and firefighters. Paramedics assessed both individuals for smoke inhalation before they were taken for further treatment.