THE Fire Brigades Union has praised firefighters who saved a family from a burning flat in Purfleet, but has warned that cuts at Grays fire station may mean crews inThurrock will not be able to respond so quickly next time.

A family of three, including a young girl, were made homeless when a fire tore through their flat on Tuesday, September 23.

Firefighters rushed to the scene, in Oakhill Road, just after 7pm to find a well-developed blaze with thick smoke on the second floor of the family’s Brightstone Court flat.

They had to rescue a young girl, who had become trapped, through a window and helped two adults fromher family downstairs.

The union has praised the firefighters for their swift response.

Andrew Knowles, local representative for the FBU in Grays, said: “The swift attendance of fire crews undoubtedly saved the lives of this family and prevented the fire spreading to adjoining flats.

“This incident highlights the need for all of Grays fire station’s appliances to be available all the time.

“If firefighter cuts go ahead, as of April 2015, the public of Grays, South Ockendon, Aveley, West Thurrock and Purfleet could have to wait at least 45 minutes for an aerial ladder platform, as opposed to the 10 minutes it waited this time.”

Prospective Labour candidate for Thurrock, Polly Billington, wrote to the minister in charge of fire services, Penny Mordaunt, last month, asking her to reverse cuts to Grays fire station.

According to Ms Billington, the minister responded by refusing to get involved in protecting fire services in Thurrock.

Ms Billington said: “I am very disappointed by the minister’s response and I suspect local residents will be, too.

“We know the situation here in Thurrock is exceptional, with so many of us living close by highrisk industrial sites, where if there was a serious incident, thousands of people could be affected.

“Our firefighters do a brilliant job and all efforts must be made to keep the services at the frontline at strength.”