Ellesmere Road rescue: Scene of Sheffield fire drama, as neighbours describe woman pulled from upstairs window

Neighbours say firefighters pulled a woman to safety from a first floor window after a blaze in her Sheffield home.

The woman, who had been inside a property on Ellesmere Road, Burngreave, was rescued by firefighters on Monday afternoon, after South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, South Yorkshire Police, and Yorkshire Ambulance Service had all been sent to the scene.

The fire service confirmed this morning that they had ‘rescued one casualty’ from the premise, a detached house with a driveway.

A window could be seen to have been boarded up on the upper floor today, as well as a couple of windows on the ground floor. Both red and white tape often used to close off streets, and blue and white police tape, could still be seen on the ground and in bins in the street today too.

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Residents living in the area said they had not seen flames coming from the house during the blaze, which happened at around 3.30pm on Monday, but several said that they had seen black smoke billowing from the property.

One said that she had been told that the woman had been pulled ‘unconscious but breathing’ from the building, with firefighters taking her to safety from the upstairs window. It is understood she was then taken to hospital by ambulance.

One neighbour said she had been scared by what was happening and concerned at the time in case any children had been inside the building.

Another remarked how quickly the emergency services had been on the scene, describing three fire engines and ‘lots of police’,

She said she understood the woman had been pulled to safety from an upper bedroom because emergency services had not been able to open the door.

Firefighters say they used three hose reels and six sets of breathing apparatus to fight the fire.

Ellesmere Road was closed by police while the emergency services carried out their work.

Firefighters said investigations into the cause of the fire was still ongoing but it was believed to have been deliberately started.

The fire crews did not leave the scene until after 5.30pm.