A MAN was treated for smoke inhalation following a kitchen blaze in Marks Tey.

Three fire crews from Colchester and Coggeshall were called to the scene in The Rookeries on Saturday) at 5.12pm.

A smoke alarm alerted the man after the fire started in his kitchen.

A passerby called 999 after he spotted smoke coming from the first floor flat.

The occupant was already out of the property when crews arrived, but he had breathed in smoke.

Firefighters gave him oxygen and left him in the care of the ambulance service.

Crews extinguished the fire by 6.05pm and used a fan to clear the smoke.

Watch Manager Darren Holliday said: "The occupant had accidentally turned to hob on and it has set fire to items left on the top of it.

"The man was in his lounge but fortunately he was alerted by a smoke alarm and was able to get out quickly - this incident really highlights the importance of having working smoke alarms on every floor of your home.

"Crews gave him oxygen, cleared the smoke and made sure the fire was fully extinguished."

The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental.