FIREFIGHTERS are urging people to instal smoke detectors in their homes following a blaze drama at Alsager.

A man in his late 20s jumped to safety from his son's bedroom window after being awoken by choking smoke.

The man had breathed in a great deal of smoke while searching frantically for his wife and two-year-old child.

After realising they were not in he jumped to the ground, cutting his bare feet badly.

Firefighters found the man sitting on his garden wall, before putting out the fire, which started in a chip pan and spread to an ironing board and fax machine.

The fire started at 10.40am on Saturday at a house in Barratt Road, and Sub Officer Chris Lawrence stressed the importance of having smoke detectors fitted.

"The man had not fitted detectors, which would have given him more warning of the fire, and the smoke spread because he had removed the doors downstairs to redecorate," he said.

"The man was having a lie in after a night out, and when he was woken by the smoke did not realise his wife and child had gone out.

"He was badly blackened by smoke from spending quite a few minutes searching for them, and jumped onto the garage roof and then onto shale.

"He cut his feet badly, and was given oxygen at the scene."

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