Smoke alarm failed in blaze-hit flat

The elderly man was treated at the scene by North Yorkshire ambulance service paramedics for the effects of breathing in smoke, a fire brigade spokesman said.

The alarm was raised at about 7pm on Wednesday and two fire engines were called out from Harrogate station to the address in the town's Tewit Well Avenue, off Leeds Road.

North Yorkshire Fire Service said the property was a self-contained sheltered housing ground floor purpose built flat. "Smoke detectors were fitted but did not activate. We think there was a possible fault in the system."

The fire had broken out in the kitchen when a toaster burst into flames. It resulted in less than one square metre of fire damage and four square metres of smoke damage to the kitchen, plus five square metres of smoke damage to the rest of the flat.

"One male was in the property at the time – an elderly gentleman. He suffered slight smoke inhalation. He received treatment from ambulance crews at the scene," the spokesman added.

The fire was out on arrival.