Firefighters battled through smoke and flames as they tackled a fire in a Colchester flat.
Crews from the town's fire station were called to the late-night blaze in the top floor of Culver House in Artillery Street, New Town.
As the fire in the first floor was being dealt with, officers rescued a cat from the flat below because the owner was worried about its safety.
Sub-officer Brian Harper said: "When we arrived, there were flames coming out of a window."
He said two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus went inside to put out the fire, which damaged a living room and left the rest of the flat smoke-damaged.
The fire, reported at about 11.30pm yesterday, was thought to have been caused by a discarded cigarette.
Sub-officer Harper said one man was in the flat when it started, but he escaped unharmed.
Published Friday July 30, 2004
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