A MAN escaped from his blazing front room by throwing a table through the window and climbing out.

James Ellis, 49, of Holbeck Street, Burnley, was said by fire and rescue service station officer Dave Jackson to be extremely lucky to escape serious injury.

Mr Ellis received oxygen treatment before being taken to Burnley General Hospital for a check up.

Firefighters were called to the house at 1.50am.

Station officer Jackson said: "Mr Ellis had fallen asleep on a settee and the fire was started by some clothing being too close to a gas fire.

"He woke up to find the house heavily smoke-logged.

"He could not find his door keys so threw a table through a window and climbed out."

Although there was a smoke detector in the house it was not fitted with a battery.

SO Jackson said: "A working alarm would have given him earlier warning of the situation. Although he suffered from smoke inhalation he was extremely lucky."