Elderly woman and pet dog die in Ludlow house fire
Shropshire firefighters today tackled a severe blaze at a detached home in Ludlow in which an elderly woman and her dog died.
Two fire crews from Craven Arms and Ludlow were called to the scene just after midnight when they were faced with flames pouring out of the kitchen window and door.
One firefighter’s helmet melted because of the severity of the fire, said Head of Fire Prevention John Das Gupta today, who urged anyone in a fire to immediately get out, stay out and dial 999.
Firefighters searched the home in Stanton Drive, Ludlow, to discover the body of the woman and her pet dog inside.
To check upstairs for any other occupants, they had to use a ladder as a makeshift staircase as the wooden stairs had been destroyed in the fire.
“The house was very severely damaged. It was an intense blaze and firefighters had to be very careful about a possible collapse of the building while they were inside,” said Mr Das Gupta.
“Fire crews are still there today and fire investigators are working with police to discover the cause of the fire which is believed to have stared in the kitchen area. There are no more details at the moment.”
A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: "The incident is under investigation but at this stage we do not believe it is suspicious."
A report on the circumstances is being prepared for the south Shropshire coroner. A post mortem and inquest opening will be held in due course.
Shropshire fire crews were helped at the scene during the height of the fire by colleagues from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. A total of 25 firefighters and four engines were at the scene.
