Woman shatters leg jumping from blazing Wigan borough first floor flat

Fire crews then broken into the home in Maple Crescent, Leigh, to rescue her pet dog.

The 28-year-old had woken at 3am on Wednesday July 19 to find the bedroom filling with smoke and she was struggling to breathe.

The front of the property, comprising a kitchen and lounge, was already well ablaze and she couldn’t get to the door.

So she opened the bedroom window at the back and jumped 3m into the garden below, badly fracturing her lower right leg as she landed.

Neighbours then helped her further away from the blazing home.

Two fire crews from Leigh and another from Atherton were quickly on the scene, although flames were already visible from the front and smoke was coming out of all the windows.

Six firefighters in breathing gear broke down the front door, went up the stairs and quickly extinguished the flames.

They were also able to carry the victim’s terrier dog, who didn’t seem to have come to serious harm, to safety.

Leigh fire station watch manager Michael Fairhurst said: “Due to the quick actions of the crews, we were able to prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining properties, either below, to the side or through the loft space.

"But the flat itself was extensively damaged: gutted in fact.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation but not thought to be suspicious.

The woman was taken to Salford Royal Hospital for treatment while the dog was taken to a relative’s house.

Crews were at the scene for about three hours.