Man rescued from Littleborough flat

A 77-year-old man was rescued from his smoke-filled home yesterday after a police officer saw smoke coming from the building.

Shortly after 4.20pm yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 26 August), the officer was in Queen Street when he saw smoke coming from the window of the first floor flat.

He called for help from his Littleborough police colleagues, who then forced their way into the building and found the disabled man in the kitchen. He was carried down the stairs and rescued from the flat.

The man was treated by a Fire Service Trauma Technician before he was taken to Rochdale Infirmary suffering from smoke inhalation and minor burns to his arms.

Fire fighters had to use breathing apparatus as they extinguished a chip pan fire that had started in the kitchen of the flat. It is believed that the fire was started accidentally after the pan had been left unattended.