Colchester fire: Police remain at scene of fire where man was rescued from flat

Crews from Colchester, Brightlingsea, Wivenhoe and Clacton were called to a blaze in a communal stairwell in a block of flats in Dorchester End at about 3.56pm on Thursday.

On arrival, crews reported the stairwell was heavily smoke logged and they worked quickly to rescue a man from inside.

Firefighters gave oxygen therapy to the man who suffered smoke inhalation and he was left in the care of the East of England Ambulance Service.

Blaze - windows were left open the following morning in the flat blocks

Crews managed to extinguish the fire by 4:20pm.

Station manager Danny Partridge said: "Crews responded quickly to extinguish this fire and we'd like to thank the residents for their co-operation while we put this fire out."

A Dorchester Road resident, who asked not to be named, said four of fire engines came rushing down the road to put out a fire in the block of flats opposite her home.

She said: "I was out at the time, but my husband was in and saw the fire engines rush down the road and go into one of the flat blocks.

"By the time I got home, they had gone so I don't know what the extent of the damage was or if anyone was hurt."

Fire - the scene of the fire in the communal stairwell

Another resident said firefighters went into the flat block at the far end of Cannons Court to put out a blaze.

He said: "The windows have been left open this morning in both of the flat blocks, perhaps to air out the buildings as they must have smelt of smoke."

A police car remained outside the scene of the blaze, in Cannons Court the following morning.

Fire - the scene of the fire in the communal stairwell

An investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out in due course.

Essex Police, the East of England Ambulance Service and Essex Fire and Rescue Service have been contacted for comment.