A MAN needed hospital treatment after he fell asleep with a cigarette in his hand.
Leading firefighter Jim Earnshaw said the cigarette started a blaze at Mark Hunter's Woodvale flat, in Vale Street, Darwen, at around 2.15am today.
A caretaker at the Blackburn with Darwen Council owned property alerted the emergency services.
Mr Hunter, 22, suffered the effect of smoke inhalation but managed to flee the property. He was later taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary for treatment.
The living room and contents were destroyed in the blaze and the rest of the flat was damaged by heat and smoke.
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