BILLOWING smoke in his own home alerted one Suffolk man to a fire in his neighbours house at the weekend.It was one of two house fires in Ipswich tackled by back-at-work firefighters over the weekend.

BILLOWING smoke in his own home alerted one Suffolk man to a fire in his neighbours house at the weekend.

It was one of two house fires in Ipswich tackled by back-at-work firefighters over the weekend.

Firefighters were called to a house in Argyle Street, Ipswich, at 7.30pm on Saturday after Mecna Shehu saw smoke filling his upstairs rooms.

Mr Shehu managed to flag down a passing taxi and got the driver to call 999 before the blaze got out of control. Today the only reminder of the fire is the charred sofa strewn in the front garden and the boarded up door.

"My smoke alarm went off but I just though it was going wrong at first. I didn't think it was anything but then I began to smell smoke as well.

"Then my lodger, who was sleeping, woke and said his room was filling with smoke.

"I ran outside and flagged down a taxi and the driver phoned the emergency services. They were here very quickly and everything was under control in less than an hour," said Mr Shehu.

Two fire appliances from headquarters in Colchester Road and Princes Street went to the fire and breathing apparatus were worn.

Suffolk Fire Service confirmed that there were people in the house at the time of the blaze but no one was injured.

Fire crews were also called to a house in Dillwyn Street, Ipswich, at 7.18pm yesterday .

A bedroom fire which had spread from a gas heater was extinguished by 7.29pm.