UPDATE: Cause of Mansfield house fire revealed

The fire started in the downstairs area of the property on Scholars Way in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday).

UPDATE: Mum and two children rescued from Mansfield house fire

It set off the smoke alarm in the property, alerting the female occupier who was then able to wake her two children and shut them in the front bedroom before ringing 999 at around 2.36am.

Crews from Mansfield, Blidworth and Ashfield were mobilised to the scene and the woman was given fire survival guidance by Fire Control staff while the crews were on their way.

When the firefighters arrived, they put a ladder up to the window and rescued the mother and her children before going inside to put the fire out.

“This incident shows just how important working smoke alarms are, they did their job here and this meant that a family were alerted to a developing fire downstairs,” said Station Manager Simon Glew.

“The early alarm to the fire meant that the occupier could call 999 and get vital fire survival guidance from our excellent Fire Control team – who did a great job in keeping the family safe until the crews arrived.

“Once firefighters got on the scene they too did a great job in rescuing a woman and two children from the front window, before tackling the fire.

“I can’t emphasise enough the importance of having working smoke alarms on every level of your home, and testing them regularly. It is also so important that people have an escape plan in place should fire hit.”

Four firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used two hose reels to put out the fire. All three occupants were taken to hospital via ambulance once they were rescued.

Crews had dealt with the incident by 4am.

The cause of the fire has now been confirmed by fire investigators as being caused by an e-cigarette lighter that had been left on charge overnight. It subsequently became overheated an ignited.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued a number of tips on how to use E-cigarettes safely:

•Never leave e-cigarettes on charge unattended for long periods •Do not mix components of different e-cigarettes •Only use the charger supplied •Ensure you purchase your e-cigarette from a reputable source •Check the e-cigarette carries CE certification •Test your smoke alarm regularly •Contact Trading Standards over any e-cigarette safety concerns

When charging e-cigarettes, always remember to...

•Always use the correct charger and follow the manufacturer's instructions•Never charge a battery that has been damaged, dropped or struck•Never plug a charger into a non-approved mains power transformer•Check your battery has overcharge or overheat protection•Don't overcharge. Remove the battery from charge when complete•Never leave a charging battery unattended•Don't use if wet•Do not overtighten the atomiser when connecting it to the charger