AN elderly Durrington woman had a lucky escape after a heated wheat bag in her bed burst into flames.
The woman, in her 90s, was in bed at her home in Edgehill Close at 4am on Thursday, May 8, when the heated wheat bag caught fire.
Luckily, she had working smoke alarms.
Firefighters from Worthing's blue watch were called out to deal with the fire.
Police and paramedics were also called and she was given oxygen. She did not need to go to hospital.
Crew commander Anthony Browne said: "She was very brave and spent time with her neighbours next door while we were dealing with the fire.
"She had working smoke alarms and this helped."
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to take care when heating the bags and have issued some safety advice:
At no time should wheat bags be used as bed warmers.Check the bag covering is 100 per cent cotton and fire-retardant.When heating the bag, follow the manufacturers instructions, which are usually two to four minutes on high in the microwave.Put a small container of water in the oven. This stops grain drying and reduces the risk of fire.Watch for signs of overheating, for example, an over cooked odour, smell of burning or charring and in extreme cases, smoking, as these all indicate that irreversible grain deterioration has occurred. It is advisable to safely dispose of the wheat bag if these signs are observed.Always allow the bag to completely cool on a heatproof surface. They can then be stored.Store only when cool.-------------------------------------
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