Flats evacuated after pan sets fire

Neighbours to a flat in Raikes Parade, Blackpool, fled after a wailing fire alarm alerted them to the blaze.

Blackpool fire crews arrived at the scene at 4.27pm, Thursday, December 22, to find the fire in a middle floor flat while the owner was out.

Crews say they quickly located and brought the fire under control with two breathing apparatus wearers and a hose reel jet. Smoke clearance of the property was done and on investigation the cause of the fire is believed to be an unattended pan left on the cooker.

A statement on the fire service website said: “The working smoke alarms in the property certainly alerted occupants of other flats of this fire and therefore allowed the fire service to deal with a small fire rather than a potentially large fire.”