An elderly couple escaped a house fire in Timperley last night caused by a cigarette left in a rubbish bin.
Firefighters were called to the incident on Lorraine Road at 11.38pm last night.
A woman in her 80s was taken to hospital as a precaution but a man, also in his 80s, escaped unharmed.
Firefighters from Altrincham, Wythenshawe and Sale extinguished the fire using hose reels and rescued the couple’s dog, but sadly it died shortly afterwards.
Crew manager Robert Macauley, from Altrincham Fire Station, said: “The fire had been caused by a cigarette in a rubbish bin in the living room.
“The smoke had spread throughout the room but fortunately the door had been closed before the couple went to bed, which limited the damage to the living room.
“The couple were in bed when the smoke alarm sounded and woke the man who went downstairs to investigate. He discovered the fire, went to get his wife from upstairs and they got out of the house.”
