WARNINGS to keep doors closed in case of fire were renewed last night following a blaze.
The fire started in the empty bedroom of a house in Blairgowrie, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, at about 3pm on Monday.
Station officer Alan Bell, of Cleveland Fire Brigade, said the fact that the bedroom door was shut prevented the blaze from spreading through the house and injuring the occupants.
"It had been going for about three hours when we got the call, but the door held the fire back and smothered it.
"We try to impress upon people the need to shut doors behind them, and that's one of the main reasons why.
"In this case, if there had been no one in the house and the door had been open, it would have been a severe fire."
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