FIREFIGHTERS pulled a man from his burning flat after a grill fire early this morning.

The man was rescued by firefighters from the fourth floor flat in Gosport.

Crews Gosport, Fareham, Cosham and Portchester were mobilised after reports of smoke pouring from the premises shortly before 9.30am.

Firefighters quickly investigated the scene and all persons were accounted for after crews affected a forced entry and rescued one male casualty.

South Central Ambulance Service treated the man at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Group Manager Tony Deacon of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service today said: “This man is very lucky to have escaped without more serious injuries. The smoke alarm in the flat had been disconnected and the alarm was only raised when a neighbour called 999 to report smoke in the corridor of the block of flats.

“This fire could easily have spread from the grill pan and the occupant has had an extremely lucky escape on this occasion. The message is clear; if you disconnect your smoke alarm, it won’t save your life. I am under no illusions today that this could potentially have been a fatal incident had the neighbour not raised the alarm when they did.”

He added: “With the run up to the festive season quickly approaching, this incident acts as a clear warning that drinking and cooking simply don't mix. High levels of inebriation can cause individuals to become oblivious to danger, and it is also a stark reminder that you should never leave cooking unattended. Had the neighbour not seen the smoke in the corridor and contacted the fire service, we could very easily have been dealing with a fire death here in Gosport."

Smoke alarm advice

To keep you, your family, and your home safe from fire, follow these safety tips from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service:
• Fit smoke alarms on each floor level in your home
• Test your smoke alarms every month and replace batteries once a year
• If your smoke alarms keep going off, don’t disconnect them. They are only doing their job. Ask the Fire and Rescue Service about the best place to put them so that they won’t keep going off, for example, when you are cooking
• If your smoke alarm goes off while you are asleep, don’t investigate to see if there is a fire. Shout to wake everyone up, get everyone together, follow your plan and get out
• Check doors with the back of your hand - if they are warm, do not open them - the fire is on the other side
• If there is a lot of smoke, crawl along with your nose near the floor where the air will be cleaner
• Most importantly - get out, stay out, and call the fire service out on 999.