Flat damaged after cigarette left burning starts fire

Emergency services were called to an address on Briarfield Avenue in Atherton at around 6am on Wednesday.

Other news: Front door torched in suspicious fireThey found one of the two male occupants of the maisonette had left the cigarette on the windowsill and it had set the curtains in the bathroom alight.

He tried to use the toilet to douse the flames but instead the seat caught fire and the blaze then spread to some bags of rubbish in the flat.

The occupant then attempted to carry the flaming waste outside and in doing so caused further damage to the hallway.

By the time fire crews arrived the two men had managed to stamp out most of the flames but there was minor damage throughout the small property.

Both were suffering the effects of smoke inhalation and were given a precautionary check-up but declined hospital treatment.

Firefighters from Atherton station used large fans to clear all the black smoke out of the maisonette.

Watch manager Ian Gardner said: "The fire was mostly out when we got there. There is slight damage from fire and smoke to the bathroom and hallway.

"It could have been a lot worse."

The crews were at the scene for around an hour.