Fire crews 'had difficulty' reaching injured man in Shrewsbury flat fire

Crews were called to Albert Street in Castlefields, Shrewsbury, in the early hours of yesterday morning after the curtains caught fire from a tea light candle in a Halloween pumpkin.

But firefighters struggled to reach the man due to cars blocking the narrow streets. The man was rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital for treatment after the ordeal at around 12.40pm.

Station Manager Mark Weaver, who attended the incident, said: “The crews found it incredibly difficult to get to the building due to the parking on the roadside. One firefighter had to go through the window wearing his breathing apparatus to get out of the appliance and rescue the man from the property.

“This kind of parking can cause delays at a time when every second counts and we urge to public to park considerately. We understand that you want to park outside your home and that it can sometimes be a nuisance to park further away but for us every minute wasted could be essential for the person we are trying to help.”

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "We were called to reports of a fire at a property on Albert Street at 12.42am. One ambulance, two paramedic officers, a MERIT trauma doctor and the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team attended the scene. On arrival we discovered two patients, both men. One of them was treated for the effects of smoke inhalation before being taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. The second was treated for minor smoke inhalation and was discharged at the scene."