THE manager of a bed and breakfast which was ravaged by a fire has told of his determination to rebuild his business of 20 years.

Firefighters carried out a dramatic rescue in the early hours of yesterday morning after a blaze broke out at Jay's Properties in Bolton Road, Blackburn.

About 13 residents had already managed to escape the inferno when fire engines arrived just two minutes after the emergency phone call at 2.30am.

Five people remained trapped in rooms on the upper floor of the terraced building.

One man jumped from a rear window and sustained a fractured leg in the fall.

Two residents were led to safety by fire crew via a staircase, while the rest were rescued through windows using a ladder.

It took 30 firefighters more than half an hour to control the blaze.

Three residents were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, along with a firefighter and a paramedic.

Two firefighters also received hospital treatment for burns, one to his face and the other to his arms, after the intensity of the fire broke through their protective clothing.

The upstairs of the property, which consists of several conjoined terraced houses, was badly damaged by the blaze.

The manager of the bed and breakfast, who would only give his name as Naz, said: "This has been a complete shock.

"They called me at 3am and I just dashed down here.

"The safety of the residents was my main priority and thankfully everyone has managed to get out.

"It is very badly damaged and I don't know yet what it looks like inside.

"It is absolutely terrible. We have owned the building for 20 years. We have to rebuild it - this is our livelihood."

Naz added that the residents, most of whom are on benefits, would be re-housed at his other properties across Blackburn.

Stephen Jones, who was in bed when the fire broke out, said: "I heard someone shouting There's a fire.' "I came out of my room and the next thing the smoke hit me. I couldn't breathe.

"When I got out I saw there was an old guy in a window upstairs and I shouted to him to put his head out of the window and breathe the air.

"I don't know what I will do now. I have no clothes, nothing."

Station manager Mark Alderson said: "The fire was very intense. We realised very early on that this would be a significant rescue operation and that we needed to get these people out.

"Most of the first floor has been destroyed and the ceiling has fallen through into the ground floor at various points.

"We do not know what caused the fire but a full investigation is under way."

Adrian Conboy, a paramedic on the scene, said: "The residents were in shock and disbelief. There was a lot of smoke.

"They were coughing and feeling nauseous."