A YOUNG woman was rescued from her smoke-logged home after fire broke out in a block of flats.

Kristina Demy, aged 18, was led to safety by firemen who rushed to answer 999 calls after neighbours spotted smoke billowing from a ground floor flat in Bournemouth’s St Peter’s Road.

Kristina told the Daily Echo she’d become trapped in her flat – along with pet Chihuahua Nelson – shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday.

“I was about to go to work,” said the Slovakian woman.

“I just opened my door and my flat was full of thick smoke. It was scary.

“I saw the fire and rescue car outside but I couldn’t see a fire. I just had to stay at the window trying to get fresh air until the firemen came.”

The smoke was coming from a fire in the flat beneath Kristina’s, in the three-storey converted flat complex called Cleddon.

Kristina explained: “I just didn’t know what to do because everything was blocked.

“I just saw loads of smoke. I couldn’t jump from the window because I live on the first floor.

“I was inside at the window for about 10 minutes before the firemen came to the front door and led me out.”

Kristina did not suffer any injury, nor did anyone else in the drama, including Nelson, the dog.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service crews from Springbourne and Ferndown attended the incident, which started in the kitchen of the downstairs flat that was unattended at the time.

The high ladder from Westbourne fire station was also dispatched.

A Dorset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “Eighty per cent of the kitchen was damaged and seven other flats, across, three floors, sustained smoke damage.”

Firefighters later ensured working smoke alarms were installed in the flats.