AN ELDERLY woman was rescued unconscious by firefighters after a kitchen fire filled her flat with smoke.
Crews found the 82-year-old lying the other side of the front door of the flat in Porrit Avenue in Lancaster's Westfield Memorial Village after the call-out at 6.12am this morning.
She was unconscious but breathing and paramedics administered oxyg
en before taking her to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
Watch Manager Alan Priestley, of Lancaster Fire Station, said he believed the woman, who was wearing a night dress, had attempted to flee but had been unable to do so because the front door was heavily bolted.
"It is difficult to say how much longer she had because we don't know how long she had been there for and we don't know the time scales," he said.
"She is in hospital now and that is the main thing."
Mr Priestley said it appeared there had been a "smouldering fire going for some time in the kitchen" which had damaged furniture. A ventilation unit was also destroyed and there was heavy smoke damage to the kitchen, lounge, bathroom and hallway.
Mr Priestley said the cause of the fire was under investigation. Lancaster Police were alerted but a spokesman said there were not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.
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