Five members of the same family died in Somerville Road

The warning comes in the wake of five people from the same family dying in a house fire in Leicester.

A check of houses in Somerville Road, where the family lived, showed only half had smoke alarms fitted.

Fire officers also emphasised the way modern security windows and doors can make getting out of a house in an emergency almost impossible.

It is very surprising that after all the television and radio campaigns the message is very slow to sink in Paul Speight, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue

But Station Officer Steve Dicken said: "The problem these days is with so much security.

"Every window has a lock and the keys are not always readily available and people will find it extremely difficult to break the double glazing units.

"People find themselves trapped in the room with no access to fresh air and that is how tragedies come about."

On Tuesday fire and rescue teams spent much of the day installing smoke alarms in properties near the house where the family died.

Paul Speight from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue said: "It is very surprising that after all the television and radio campaigns the message is very slow to sink in.