A WOMAN was rescued from her bedroom window as fire swept through her house in Burnside Crescent, Skipton, this week.

Sharon Wilson, 43, was already leaning out of the upstairs window trying to get out of the house when the fire brigade arrived at the scene at 4.51pm on Monday

Assistant divisional fire officer Stuart Stoney said: "On arrival there were copious quantities of smoke coming from the house, and there was one lady already well out of the bedroom window."

The firefighters persuaded the trapped woman not to jump but to stay where she was until they got a 10 metre ladder up to the window to rescue her.

It is understood that Mrs Wilson's two children were at a neighbour's house when the blaze started.

The fire was contained in the living room area and has caused severe damage to the lounge and smoke damage throughout the house.

Friends, who were helping to clear, the debris from the front room, said the fire had started in the lounge.

It blocked Mrs Wilson's escape out of the back door and she did not have a key on her to get out of the front. She then ran upstairs and smashed the bedroom window to try to escape.

Mr Stoney said four breathing apparatus and two hose reels were used as firefighters fought to get the fire under control. It took about 15 minutes.

The cause of fire is still being investigated.

Mrs Wilson was taken by ambulance to Airedale Hospital, Steeton, as a precautionary measure.

She discharged herself later that day but returned on Tuesday because of problems with smoke inhalation.

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