A structure fire in the community of Pirlangimpi on Melville Island was restricted to one bedroom of the dwelling thanks to smoke alarms.

Remote Sergeant Ben Higgins said the non-suspicious fire in the accommodation wing of a contractor’s building came to the attention of nearby people because of the early warning.

“We were alerted to the fire by two smoke alarms going off just before 10.00am yesterday.

“Local NT Emergency Service Volunteers, Police and the contractors were able to force entry into the bedroom and extinguish the fire.

“There is little doubt the fire would have spread to the entire structure had the alarms not been installed.”

Remote Sergeant Higgins said no one was injured and early investigations into the fire suggest it may have been caused by an electrical fault.