A MAN had to leap to safety from a first floor flat as flames swept through the property.

Mark Rivers, 40, suffered leg injuries after leaping from a window of the block of flats in Cardigan Avenue, Burnley, in the early hours of today. He was taken to hospital.

A second man, a school teacher who asked not to be named, was trapped in a second floor flat during the fire and treated for smoke inhalation by fire crews.

Firefighters were called to the blaze shortly after 2.30am today, after reports that a bedroom in a first floor flat was on fire.

Watch manager Chris Hollis said: "When we arrived at the scene there was one man already outside who had jumped from the first floor kitchen window.

"Crews went in but there was nobody else inside the first floor flat.

"However, a man was trapped in the second floor flat because of smoke rising from the fire. A team went up to him and treated him with oxygen while we dealt with the blaze and he was then led to safety.

"It seems at this stage that the fire was accidental and was caused by smoking.

"Although there was a smoke detector fitted in the flat, there were no batteries and as a result this man has found himself in a serious situation and has been forced to jump from a window."

Fire crews said they would offer free fitting of smoke detectors. Call 0800 169 1125 for details.