THREE people were led to safety from an Ipswich home after a neighbouring flat went up in flames.The rescue took place in Downside Close, Stoke Park, at about 8.
THREE people were led to safety from an Ipswich home after a neighbouring flat went up in flames.
The rescue took place in Downside Close, Stoke Park, at about 8.15am after fire crews arrived at the scene following an emergency call made by a member of the public.
Fire had taken hold in a first floor flat, and although nobody was in it at the time, the smoke was so dense it spread to the next door property.
Marty Thorpe, assistant divisional officer at Suffolk Fire Service, said: “Thick black smoke was coming from the living room.
“It was that intense that it was pillowing through the entrance hall and the smoke was affecting the property next door.
“We managed to lead the people inside the next door property to safety and they were treated for smoke inhalation.
“It was light smoke but you wouldn't want to be in there for too long.”
Mr Thorpe said firefighters entered the blazing flat and checked to see if there was anyone inside before tackling the fire.
Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used two hose reel jets to control the flames by 8.41am.
“The flames gutted the lounge and caused smoke damage to the remainder of the flat,” Mr Thorpe said.
One eye witness, Edward Cuffe, of Downside Close, said: “The fire engines woke me up and my wife said she thought there was a fire in the close.
“When I saw it there was thick, acrid black smoke billowing out.”
The cause of the fire is not being treated as suspicious.
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