Unattended cooking caused smoke to pour from high rise flats

Firefighters from Wigan, Hindley and Atherton attended the scene at Boyswell House, Scholes, at around 2.30am this morning (Saturday) after people reported smoke coming from one of the flats.

On arrival, crews could not immediately get a response from the resident and were about to break down the door when the man inside allowed them access.

Crew manager, Derek Anderson, said that the man had left meat and potatoes boiling in a pan on the stove for so long that the food had begun to smoulder, causing smoke to pour out into the surrounding flats.

The man was led to safety by fire officers and was treated by paramedics for over an hour for smoke inhalation.

Crew manager Anderson said: "Do not cook when you are tired, if you have been drinking, or if you are on any medication that can cause drowziness. It took two or three minutes of banging on the door for him to answer, we were about to break down the door."

Advice on fire safety when cooking can be found at www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/fire_safety_advice