Firefighters were called to reports of a fire at a property in Gwersyllt near Wrexham at 07.33hrs this morning (Saturday 30th August, 2014).

Three fire appliances from Wrexham were mobilised to the detached property on Penrhyn Drive.

On arrival firefighters were confronted with a developing fire on the ground floor. Fire crews used four sets of breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets to tackle the fire.

A man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s, who had made their way out of the property through a window onto a flat roof, were assisted down a ladder to safety by firefighters.

They were transported to hospital by ambulance for treatment for smoke inhalation.

The fire is believed to have been caused by carelessly discarded smoking materials.

Andy Robb from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "This incident highlights the dangers of not extinguishing cigarettes properly in suitable containers.

"It is vital to make sure all smoking materials are put out safely, especially before bed time. The best way to cut the risk is not to smoke indoors at all. Many smoking related fires happen at night when people fall asleep or smoke in bed and furniture or fabrics are set alight.

"Worryingly, research shows that smokers are less likely than non-smokers to have working smoke alarms which could alert them to the dangers and give the chance of escape.

"If you have elderly relatives or friends who are smokers, make them aware of the possible dangers - by following the steps below they can help cut the risk of a smoking related fire in the home:

-Take extra care when you're tired, taking any sort of drugs or have been drinking alcohol. It's very easy to fall asleep without while your cigarette is still burning

- Never smoke in bed - if you need to lie down, don't light up. You could doze off and set your bed on fire

- Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended - they can easily overbalance as they burn down

- Buy child-resistant lighters and matchboxes - every year children die by starting fires with matches and lighters. Keep these where children can't reach them

- Use a proper, heavy ashtray that can't tip over easily and is made of a material that won't burn. Make sure your cigarette is not still burning when you are finished - put it out, right out

- Tap your ash into an ashtray, never a wastebasket containing other rubbish - and don't let the ash or cigarette ends build up in the ashtray

- Install and maintain a smoke alarm - when a fire starts, you only have a few minutes to escape. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and dial 999. You can get a basic smoke alarm for the same price as a packet of cigarettes. Better still are those smoke alarms with long-life batteries or are mains-powered.

"North Wales Fire and Rescue Service offers free home fire safety checks for all residents in North Wales. To register, please call the 24 hour hotline on 0800 169 1234, visit www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk or e-mail cfs@nwales-fireservice.org.uk."