A Pembroke couple owe their lives to a working smoke alarm following an early hours of the morning fire.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service mobilised two appliances from Pembroke Dock to a report of a property fire in the Grove Hill area of Pembroke at approximately 1 am on Saturday.

On arrival, the responding crews found a developing fire and dense smoke issuing from the kitchen of the property.

Four firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the property and rapidly extinguished the fire, confining the damage to the kitchen and limiting further spread to other parts.

On this occasion, the occupiers of the property had evacuated prior to the arrival of the emergency services and were safely outside.

The police and ambulance service were also in attendance.

A spokeman for the fire brigade said subsequent investigations suggest that the fire was probably started as a consequence of fault in the fridge freezer.

Fortunately, the occupiers of the premises, who had gone to bed for the night, were alerted to the presence of the fire by the working smoke alarms fitted in the property. They had also closed their internal doors before retiring, which aided their escape and further assisted in reducing smoke damage throughout the property.

Station manager David Hancock, the fire service duty officer, said: "The presence of working smoke alarms cannot be understated as without them the occupants of the property would not have had that early notification they provide, buying vital seconds to make good their escape.

"Whilst the fire was predominantly confined to the kitchen, it was only minutes away from penetrating the ceiling and spreading further. The value of working smoke alarms and a practised night-time routine cannot be emphasised enough."

Home-owners are encouraged to contact the fire and rescue service for a free home fire safety check which provides free smoke alarms and other crucial advice. A home fire safety check can be easily arranged by contacting your local fire station, calling 0800 169 1234 or by visiting http://www.freesmokealarm.co.uk">www.freesmokealarm.co.uk.