A 92-YEAR-OLD woman was rescued from a fire in a sheltered housing flat when a neighbour heard the smoke alarm.

An upstairs neighbour at Riverside Gardens, Witney called Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue service after hearing the alarm yesterday at about 3.15pm.

Two fire engines from Witney attended the scene and crew members opened the front door without having to force it.

They found the woman still inside the flat, which was heavily smoke logged. 

The resident was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation by the ambulance service. The cause of the fire is believed to be the electrical consumer unit.

Incident commander crew manager Glen Lee said: “Had the occupier not had a working smoke alarm which alerted the neighbour the outcome could have been a lot worse.

“The incident again highlights the need to ensure you have a working smoke alarm on each level of your house, as it will give an immediate warning of a fire and allow you to escape before the fire grows.

“Have a fire plan so everyone in your household knows what to do when a smoke detector goes off.”