A HOUSEHOLDER smashed a window and escaped to safety as fire swept the kitchen of his Nelson home.

Nigel Hargreaves was awakened by a passer-by who broke a window at the Railway Street terrace at 2am yesterday after seeing a chip pan blaze take hold.

Mr Hargreaves escaped as the fire gutted the kitchen and caused severe smoke damage to the rest of the house.

Nelson firefighters dealt with the blaze.

Mr Hargreaves was taken to Burnley General Hospital suffering from the effects of smoke and later released.

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