AN investigation is underway after a house blaze saw a woman rescued from the upstairs of her home in Colne.

The fire started in the living room of a mid-terrace property in Clifford Street, off Norfolk Street, just before 2.25pm on Saturday.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using a ladder rescued the householder, a woman in her 40s, from an upstairs bedroom.

Two crews from Colne fire station and one from Nelson attended the blaze.

The exact cause of the fire is now under review but it is not thought to be suspcious.

Caroline Harrison, a watch manager at Nelson, said: “It was quite a severe fire in the living room and there was smoke damage throughout the property.”

The woman was treated at the scene by paramedics for the effects of smoke and was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for precautionary checks.

Firefighter Ian McGee from Colne fire station, who took part in the rescue operation, later urged people in Pendle to ensure that their smoke alarms are operational over the festive season.

Ladder rescues are now relatively rare and the exploits of the Pendle crews were later praised by one of their senior officer.

Deputy chief fire officer Justin Johnstone said ‘well done’ to the Colne and Nelson firefighters on Twitter.