FIREFIGHTERS were called to a chip pan fire in Blackburn this afternoon.

The blaze occurred at 12.45pm in Wimberley Street after the occupant had been distracted while heating cooking oil in a pan, which led to the pan igniting causing toxic smoke, the fire service said.

The smoke detector was set off and the alarm raised, which allowed the resident to quickly smother the fire with a damp towel and turn off the gas hob.

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Although they inhaled some of the smoke, the occupant suffered no major injuries and no further damage was caused.

Fire engines from Blackburn and Hyndburn attended the scene.

A spokesman for the fire service said: "If cooking, please do not leave the room unattended, it is easy to get distracted and a fire could occur unnoticed for some time."