of the British Broadcasting Corporation
Sunday,
11 November 2007, 09:59 GMT
Man rescued from chip pan blaze
Firefighters have rescued a man after a chip pan caught fire at a house
in north Belfast.
The blaze broke out in the kitchen of a property in Lowwood Park, Mount Vernon, at about 2230 GMT on Saturday.
A neighbour called fire crews after a smoke alarm went off. A 52-year-old man, who was in an upstairs bedroom, was brought to safety.
He was suffering from the effects of breathing in smoke. An ambulance crew gave him first aid at the scene.
A spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Service said: "The cause of the fire was discovered to be a burning chip pan which highlights the dangers of leaving such cooking appliances unattended.
"The fact that a working smoke alarm was fitted in the premises, alerted a neighbour to call the fire service.
"The resulting prompt action of the local fire crews prevented what could have been a tragic outcome in this instance."
