TWO people jumped to safety and six families were led from their homes as fire raged through a building in Boothley Road, Blackpool.

The fire occured on Tuesday night (Oct 23), and is thought to have been caused by a faulty tumble dryer.

It began in a first floor flat shortly after 1am before spreading to an adjacent terraced property.

A Lancashire Police spokeswoman said a taxi driver flagged down a police patrol and told them there was a fire and the emergency services were called.

Fire crews from Blackpool, South Shore and Bispham brought the fire under control in an hour. The blaze caused severe damage to the first floor flat and to the roof of the neighbouring property.

Eyewitness Cheryl Cannon, 17, was chatting with a friend in the street when she noticed smoke coming from the building. "I phoned the fire brigade and I knocked on the bottom door and three adults and a baby came out," she said. "The girl in the top flat jumped out of the window onto the roof of a car. The smoke was coming out of the slates of other houses."

Another neighbour said the residents of the gutted first floor flat are now staying with neighbours and intend to repair the damage and move back in as soon as possible.

A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Two occupants escaped through a window onto a roof and jumped to the ground. The fire spread to adjoining property and smoke was seen coming from a further five houses. A total of 25 people were evacuated and three casualties were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.