Chip pan fire at flats

A BLOCK of flats in Chadderton was evacuated after a fire broke out.

A 58-year-old man and a couple living next door were rushed to hospital after a chip pan was left unattended in the Rochester Way flat.

The three residents were taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital by road ambulance with smoke inhalation.

A total of three fire engines and 12 firefighters from Chadderton and Oldham attended the incident at 1.15am on Saturday.

Watch manager Pete Marshall, of Chadderton Community Fire Station, said: "The man had fallen asleep while his chip pan was on and it went up in flames.

"When we arrived the man had put a wet towel over the fire and moved the chip pan. It would have been very bad.

"The block of flats had evacuated themselves before we arrived. There was smoke damage to the walls of the entire flat and severe damage to his kitchen."

Firefighters were sent in with breathing apparatus and a hose reel and first focused on getting the man and his neighbours to hospital before tackling smoke clearance.