FOUR tortoises had a lucky escape after a heat lamp fell into their aquarium in a Crediton home during the afternoon of Monday, October 24.

Former Crediton firefighter Ian Salter, a local window cleaner, was cleaning windows at a nearby property and heard a fire alarm sounding just after 1pm.

Ian explained: “I heard the alarm and went to the house.  There appeared to be no-one at home so I looked in the letter box and then could smell the smoke.

“I called for the fire brigade right away.”

The Crediton fire crew was the first on the scene at Tuckers Meadow, quickly followed by another crew from Danes Castle in Exeter.

Firefighters forced entry to the property and used two sets of breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet and small tools to put out the fire.

The firefighters removed four tortoises from the property to the front garden.

The crews also used a positive pressure ventilation fan to remove smoke from the home.

Neil Hargreaves, Watch Manager, Crediton Fire Station, said: “This fire demonstrates the importance of having a working smoke alarm.

“If the alarm had not been working it could have been a very serious fire.

“A heat lamp had fallen into an aquarium causing the paper to catch fire.

“The aquarium contained four tortoises.

“We were able to remove the tortoises and took them outside to give them some fresh air while we ventilated the property.

“I am pleased that the smoke alarm did its job, it saved the day.”