A MAN is fighting for his life after suffering serious burns to half his body during a bedroom fire at a hotel.

Firefighters pulled the 50-year-old from a second storey blaze at the Devonshire Hotel, Bridge Street, Blackburn, just before 8am today.

He is currently in a critical condition at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, after being transferred from the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

An investigation has been launched into what started the blaze and fire chiefs said they could not rule out a discarded cigarette as the source.

Andy Barnes, station manager at Blackburn fire station, said: “The fire was in a bedroom and the man is in a critical condition.

“It was quite an intense fire and our crews went in wearing breathing apparatus and found the man in a corner of the room.

“They got him out and treated him until he was taken away for treatment by ambulance crews.

“We are still investigating at this stage what started the fire but we are looking at use of cigarettes as a possibility.”

Hotel staff were alerted to the blaze when the fire alarm went off and all the other residents were able to get out of the building without suffering any injuries.

Station manager Barnes said the building was still structurally sound after the fire, but the bedroom in which the man was found had been badly damaged.

A joint investigation between the police and fire service is underway.

DI Andy Hulme said: “At this stage, we are not treating the fire as suspicious. However, a full forensic examination will be carried out in conjunction with the fire service.”

A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service confirmed they had rushed a 50-year man to hospital suffering from 50 per cent burns.

Anyone with information should contact the police on 0845 1 25 35 45 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.