Pensioner escapes injury in Shrewsbury house explosion

An elderly woman had a lucky escape after an aerosol can of air freshener exploded in her house in Shrewsbury after being left next to an electric fire.

A small hole was left in the ceiling of the property by the incident, which occurred on Saturday in Sutton Way, Springfield, shortly after 12.16pm.

The woman, who is in her 80s, was left uninjured in the incident.

Alex Howell, crew manager at the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The lady occupant had left an air freshener in front of an electric heater. It heated up and exploded with the pressure.

"Luckily it didn't disintegrate but a small bit caused damage to the ceiling."

He said the incident was a good example of why aerosol cans should be stored in safe and cool locations, adding that the pensioner had had a lucky escape.

"Debris can go in any direction and can penetrate human flesh," he said.

"Air fresheners are common in households and they should be put away in a cool place and away from fires and heat at all times."

It follows a similar incident last year, when the home of retired schoolteacher Margaret Leverett in the village of Tibberton, near Newport, was hit by a blaze.

She and her 65-year-old sister had to jump out of their sitting-room window when exploding aerosol cans alerted them to the fact that their house was ablaze.

Fire and choking black smoke blocked their escape route down the hall.

The fire was caused by an electrical fault in a light fitting at the home in Back Lane.