PEOPLE are being urged not to ignore fire alarms after a woman was rescued semi-conscious from a smoke-filled flat in Falmouth.
Firefighters had to break down the door as they could not raise the occupant and found her collapsed in the hallway and had to pull her out.
Twelve other occupants of the DCH (formerly Devon and Cornwall Housing) property Aberfal House in Arwenack Avenue had to be evacuated on Sunday evening.
Watch manager Stuart Williams said: "It could have potentially been really bad.
"The alarm was sounding in the block of flats and residents ignored it until about an hour later when someone could smell burning.
"I don't think people realised what was going on, but my advice is, if you have an alarm sounding we advise you to check it out and call us."
Two crews were sent to the flats at about 10.30pm.
"We were there within three minutes and smoke was coming out the letterbox of her flat," said Mr Williams.
"Firefighters Giles Kent and Justin Smith took it on instinct that someone was inside and smashed the door down.
"They recovered a young lady in the hallway and pulled her out. She was semi-conscious.
"We evacuated the rest of the residents. Some were elderly and frail, and the crew helped them into the back of the fire engine to get comfy.
"They were out for about half an hour. We ventilated the building and, once it was cleared, they could go back in."
The fire itself was contained to a cooker, where Mr Williams said something had been left on and boiled dry, setting fire to items next to it.
"The property was smoke-logged rather than full of flames, but it is smoke that kills," he said.
The woman was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Truro for treatment for smoke inhalation.
Safe
No further details on her condition were known.
A spokesman from DCH said: "Our housing team attended the flats promptly and all residents were able to return to their properties as soon as the fire service declared it was safe.
"There was minimum smoke damage to one property, which originated from a cooker, and safety checks are currently being carried out at the property as a matter of urgency so the resident can return to their home as soon as possible. We will give continued support and advice to residents about fire safety in their homes."
