A block of flats for the elderly had to be evacuated after a fire broke out.
Some 40 people were forced to leave their homes after the blaze in a self-contained flat in Thetford Court, Chelmsford.
The 80-year-old elderly woman, who lived in the ground-floor flat alone, raised the alarm after it is believed her television caught fire because of an electrical fault.
She was led to safety before firecrews arrived by someone visiting another flat and was checked by paramedics for smoke inhalation, but she was uninjured.
The other residents were all walked out safely and no one was injured.
When firefighters arrived at the blaze, which happened just after 1pm yesterday , they found thick black smoke pouring out of the flat's living room window.
A spokeswoman for Essex Fire and Rescue said firefighters used breathing apparatus to tackle the blaze, which took about 20 minutes to bring under control.
The pensioner has not been made homeless by the blaze.
Published Tuesday, May 27, 2003
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