A PACKET of cigarette papers helped save the life of a labourer after fire ravaged his house only minutes after he nipped to the shop.

The blaze in Monk Street, Accrington is being blamed on foam-filled sofa cushions which burst into flames after being put next to an electric heater to dry.

Firefighters said they could not trace smoke detectors in the house and Graham Phoenix would have almost certainly perished if he had been upstairs when the blaze took hold.

It began in the property's dining room at around 6.30pm and spreading to the kitchen minutes later.

And the shocked 47-year-old admitted: "I'm lucky to be alive."

Mr Phoenix, who is staying with friends while the extent of the damage is assessed, said: "I went down the road to buy some cigarette papers from the local corner shop. As I got back to my house I could see the house was full of smoke.

"I opened the door of the house to look inside but the thick smoke just hit me in the face and went up my nose and left me completely black. I went to a neighbour's house and they called the fire brigade.

"I had washed two cushions from the sofa and left them less than half a metre from an electric heater to dry. I can only assume the heater flipped over and caused the fire."

He added: "The dining room is gutted and have lost my TV, stereo, photographs and a Corgi car collection worth £2,000 which I wont be able to replace - I suppose I am lucky to be alive and glad I went to the shop."

Eight firefighters brought the blaze under control and clear away a vast amount of soot and securing ceilings- eventually leaving the house at 8.15pm.

Hyndburn Community Fire Station Officer, Peter Fraser said "Because the cushions were foam-filled once they were alight they would have gone up very quickly and the whole room would have been on fire within minutes."

"The whole lounge has been gutted, there's some damage to the kitchen, stairwell, and bathroom.

"It appears there were no smoke detectors fitted and because of the this If the occupant was upstairs without the smoke detection he probably would not have made it downstairs and it could have proved fatal."