Fire in second floor flat

Crews were called to a second floor flat after reports of a fire. 

On arrival firefighters were faced with flames coming from a second floor window and reported a room on the second floor was completely alight. 

Other residents began shouting that a man was inside the flat, but as firefighters were close to the door the man appeared and firefighters walked him down the stairs to safety, where they also made sure he was given oxygen to help with smoke inhalation.

Crews then tackled the fire as well as evacuating people who lived on the same corridor. The rest of the residents were told to stay in their homes as instructed by the building's stay put policy. 

Watch Manager Richard Burch, Southend Fire Station, said: "The fire doors did their job, which meant the fire was contained to the flat where it started. Although sadly the flat has been completely destroyed by fire, there was only some smoke damage to the rest of the floor meaning no one else has lost their home."

Watch Manager Sam Ridley, Leigh Fire Station, added: "Our crews were faced with a significant fire on arrival and it was thanks to their hard work we brought this under control and extinguished it quickly."

A fire investigation was carried out and the cause recorded as accidental, by discarded smoking material.