Hatch end woman with hearing difficulties, 95, saved by fire alarm

The metallic pan then begun to burn, creating toxic smoke that can kill.
Harrow Fire Station's white watch manager Shane Donaghey said the case highlighted why households should install fire alarms - or ask London Fire Brigade to put them in for free - and why those who are fully or partially deaf should apply for a specialised personal fire alarm that vibrates and blinks when the main detector goes off.
He said: "It was a person who fell asleep and left some cooking on and the smoke alarm alerted the neighbours, who called us.
"Luckily her alarm was linked automatically to the warden's office.
"It was a 95-year-old lady who may have had hearing problems and didn't hear the alarm. She was upstairs and her alarm was downstairs.
"The crews broke in and woke her up and she was fine."
He added: "She had a pan of soup she had left on and it was quite acrid smoke that can be really serious.
"It was light smoke but it's not just about the thickness - metal sends off really toxic smoke and while normal smoke eventually leaves the body, metallic smoke can cause long-term damage.
"If we hadn't been called, she would have to have been very lucky to get out."
The fire broke out at 5.10pm on Thursday December 10 and two crews from Harrow and Northolt, totalling 10 firefighters, spent an hour at the scene.