Firefighters call on colleagues - North Shore Times

President George says;

"Even fire fighters aren't exempt from fires"

Working smoke alarms IN ALL LIVING AREAS is highly recommended, in the home.

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Firefighters had to rescue one of their own when his kitchen went up in flames. Senior firefighter Glenn Roberts and his family were asleep in their Browns Bay home when the dishwasher caught fire mid-cycle.

"To my embarrassment I had to call the boys and wait outside in my jarmies for the Albany and East Coast Bays crews to turn up."

His wife Laureen woke to a burning chemical smell and realised it was coming from downstairs. Mr Roberts went to open the lounge door but "soon realised I couldn't get in". He was embarrassed at first but when he saw his colleagues arrive all he felt was relief.

"They said it was easy because I knew what to do."

Their kitchen is being replaced and lounge and dining furniture professionally cleaned after suffering significant heat and smoke damage. An investigation is under way to determine whether the fire was triggered by a mechanical fault. "It's not the sort of thing you'd expect," Mr Roberts says.

The family has been showing friends and neighbours the damage to warn them against leaving appliances on at night. It's not the first time that a dishwasher has caught fire.

East Coast Bays fire station officer Graham Haycock says they happen from time to time and he advises people to switch them off before heading out or going to bed.

A sleeping Paremoremo family was saved from being overcome by smoke when their dishwasher caught fire at night.

It quickly demolished the kitchen bench and set off the smoke alarm.

The Roberts' home had two smoke alarms in other parts of the house but one in the lounge would have alerted the family earlier, Mr Roberts says.

Ben Watson

FIREFIGHTER'S FIRE: Senior fireman Glenn Roberts' kitchen was destroyed in a blaze