AN UNATTENDED cooking pan sparked a fire alert at a block of flats in Dawlish.

Firefighters were alerted by a call from a member of the public reporting the alarm sounding within their block flats but there were no obvious signs why it was sounding.

At the scene, fire crews were able to identify the flat involved but there was no answer when crews knocked open the door and no obvious ways of gaining entry.

Fortunately another member of the public had a spare key to the property and allowed crews to use it gain entry.

Once inside, it became apparent the flat was heavily smoke logged with an occupant sat on the sofa.

Firefighters managed to walk the occupant from the property to fresh air.

They found there was some unattended cooking left on an electric hob which had caught fire in the pan.

Crews removed the pan to safety and opened windows in the property allowing it naturally ventilate.

The flat’s occupant was checked over before firefighters gave safety advice.

A spokesman for Dawlish fire station said: ‘This incident could have escalated, had there not been adequate smoke detection in the flat or block of flats.

‘Fortunately the fire was confined to a metal pan on top of the hob.’