CROWDS watched as more than 30 firefighters, eight police officers and paramedics attended a blaze in Boscombe town centre on Thursday afternoon - only for the officers to discover it was a chip pan fire.
The operation was launched amid fears that a flat fire, above premises in the shopping precinct, could spread to adjoining properties.
Tim Spring, station manager at Redhill fire station, said the blaze had been sparked in the kitchen of a third-floor flat in Haviland Road West at around 12.36pm.
He added: "There haven't been any casualties and one man was led to safety."
As fire crews battled to prevent the blaze spreading, emergency services prevented the occupants of neighbouring flats from returning to their homes for more than an hour.
High-rise appliances were used to access the flat in both Boscombe Precinct and in Haviland Road West.
The flat owner was treated for smoke inhalation.
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