A WOMAN was rescued from a flat fire in Moordown on Saturday morning.

Smoke from the blaze in the ground floor flat in Ripon Road – which did not have alarms – was spotted by concerned neighbours, who informed the fire service at around 6.15am.

Fire crews from Redhill Park, Westbourne and Springbourne donned breathing apparatus and smashed the door of the flat to get in and rescue the woman, who is believed to be in her 60s and disabled.

She was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation by paramedics and taken to hospital.

Neighbour Chris ‘Dilly’ Evans, 28, spotted the smoke from his bedroom window.

“I always wake up early and this morning I heard a beeping noise, so I looked out and saw smoke coming out of the flat,” he said.

“I couldn’t believe it, so I called 999 and went out to see if I could help.

“There was too much smoke for me to see inside but I could hear the lady in there, so I told her to get down low and tried to reassure her.

“The firefighters did a great job, they were there so quickly. They said the woman is stable so I hope she is ok.”

Another neighbour, Fawzi Saadi, 28, was also alerted by the smoke, and rushed out with his baby fearing an explosion.

“I tried to get in the door to help but they are so secure around here,” he said. “The firemen had to take it down with a hammer.

“They went straight in with their masks on and got her out. The smoke was really pouring out of the windows.”

Dorset Fire and Rescue tweeted that there were no smoke alarms at the property: “Make sure you have working smoke alarms which are tested regularly so this does not happen to you or your family.”

The fire was put out within half an hour by firefighters using two hose reel jets. The cause is still being investigated.