A CIGARETTE is thought to have caused a fire that tore through a ground-floor flat in Thornhill, Southampton, last night.

Fire crews were called to the property in Hinkler Road at 4.40pm after a woman returned home from a trip to the shop to find flames and smoke pouring out of the windows.

Witness Kai Knox, 13, from Townhill Park, said: “I saw flames coming out of the window, fire engines and police cars.

“I saw lots of flashing lights, smoke coming out of the windows and firemen spraying the windows.

“Then there were firemen inside with torches looking around the flat.”

The sole occupant, a woman in her 20s, was checked over by paramedics but did not require hospital treatment.

Other tenants in the block escaped before fire crews arrived and did not require medical attention.

The scene was attended by two units from Hightown, two from Eastleigh and one from St Mary’s.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was not treating the fire as suspicious.