Firefighters arrived to find that this was a fire in an exterior bin cupboard which was connected to the home via the interior staircase. The fire had started to spread to the property itself.
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Afghan family rescued from fire by neighbour, Nick Reinis, 29 October.---------------------
A total of eight people were inside the home when the fire started. All managed to get out of the property safely thanks to the efforts of neighbours who helped to evacuate them from their home.
It is not known if there was a smoke alarm inside the home.
Ian Vickers, Watch Manager at Stanground Fire Station, said: "This could have been a very serious incident indeed. Those responsible need to realise the consequences their actions could have had today.
"In another 10 minutes the fire could have spread to the property itself, preventing those inside from using the staircase or front door.
"If those inside had not been alerted to the fire so quickly, they could have found themselves trapped on the first floor of the property with no means of escape."
Residents are advised to book a Free Home Fire Safety Check for their home - especially if they suspect they could be at risk of arson.
The full article contains 238 words and appears in Peterborough ET newspaper.
