Fire crews who “put their lives on the line” to rescue a Bradford family from their burning home have been commended for their bravery.

Two crews at Fairweather Green fire station and one at Bradford were called to the home of Tracey and Christopher Borrow in the early hours of June 4 last year as a blaze ripped through the house, in Langdale Avenue, Fairweather Green.

Bradford District Commander Jim Butters, who presented the crews with letters of appreciation yesterday, said: “They get extensive, intensive training, but even so, as in this case, fire crews often put their lives on the line to help.”

The 999 call centre was also commended for fire survival guidance and reassurance it gave to the family as they waited to be rescued.

Mr and Mrs Borrow, daughter Natalie and niece Jadie, both 20, hid in an attic room at the house after they were alerted by smoke alarms to a blaze in their kitchen, caused by an unattended chip pan. Mrs Borrow said: “We were shouting out the window. Smoke was coming up through guttering, we were choking.”

She added: “They were here within a matter of minutes, but you just panic. They saved our lives.”

Commended for their actions were Bradford crew manager Peter Raistrick and firefighters Steven Clark, Gareth Papworth and James Dyson, and Fairweather Green watch manager Andy Wooler, crew manager John Senior and firefighters Matthew Greenwood, Nicholas Hey, John Rankin, Steven Sutcliffe, Paul Coward, Paul Daly and Ross Gardner.