HAVING a working smoke alarm meant a woman was able to escape before a blaze destroyed part of her house in Northfleet last night (January 8).

The beeping of the alarm alerted her to the fire starting in her home in Dowding Walk at around 8.10pm so got out and called 999.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus battled the fire for around two hours and managed to stop it spreading from the living room.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Crews from Thames-side, Dartford and Horton Kirby attended the incident and watch manager Lee Murray, from Thames-side fire station, said: “People should check their smoke detectors and test them during the month of January.”