cherry
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Nine deaf and disabled people were rescued from a fire at their care home.
Firemen had to carry four people from their rooms because they were unable to walk.
The rest were led to safety as smoke filled the three-storey detached building in Wilbury Gardens, Hove.
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The home is understood to be run by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.
The fire started in a toilet and is believed to have been caused by a cigarette which was not put out properly.
It spread to a toilet roll, clothing and lino triggering smoke alarms in the building.
The home's alarm system is linked directly to Hove fire station.
An East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service crew was at the scene within minutes of the call just after 2am on Saturday.
Dave Statham, Blue Watch manager at Hove, said: "The building was filling with smoke and there were half a dozen people already downstairs in the foyer.
"The person in charge was deaf and he was trying to get through to us that the fire was in a first floor toilet.
"We led those people outside and sent in officers with breathing apparatus to deal with what was left of the fire.
"We were then told there were also four people still upstairs asleep on the top floor.
"Because they are deaf and disabled they were not aware of what was happening or that fire alarm was sounding.
"The fire doors were doing their job in holding the smoke back but it could have got up to the corridor where their rooms are.
"We went up to their bedrooms and had to carry them down because they are very disabled.
"Some of them were still asleep and had to be woken before we could take them out.
"The whole operation went very well and the home's alarm system was operating and worked as it should have done."
An ambulance was sent to the scene but none of the home's residents needed hospital treatment.
A manager at the home said she did not want to comment about the fire.
Neighbours said they were not woken as the home's residents were led to safety.
10:56am Sunday 14th October 2007
Firemen had to carry four people from their rooms because they were unable to walk.
The rest were led to safety as smoke filled the three-storey detached building in Wilbury Gardens, Hove.
advertisement
The home is understood to be run by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.
The fire started in a toilet and is believed to have been caused by a cigarette which was not put out properly.
It spread to a toilet roll, clothing and lino triggering smoke alarms in the building.
The home's alarm system is linked directly to Hove fire station.
An East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service crew was at the scene within minutes of the call just after 2am on Saturday.
Dave Statham, Blue Watch manager at Hove, said: "The building was filling with smoke and there were half a dozen people already downstairs in the foyer.
"The person in charge was deaf and he was trying to get through to us that the fire was in a first floor toilet.
"We led those people outside and sent in officers with breathing apparatus to deal with what was left of the fire.
"We were then told there were also four people still upstairs asleep on the top floor.
"Because they are deaf and disabled they were not aware of what was happening or that fire alarm was sounding.
"The fire doors were doing their job in holding the smoke back but it could have got up to the corridor where their rooms are.
"We went up to their bedrooms and had to carry them down because they are very disabled.
"Some of them were still asleep and had to be woken before we could take them out.
"The whole operation went very well and the home's alarm system was operating and worked as it should have done."
An ambulance was sent to the scene but none of the home's residents needed hospital treatment.
A manager at the home said she did not want to comment about the fire.
Neighbours said they were not woken as the home's residents were led to safety.
10:56am Sunday 14th October 2007