Baby rescued from city flat fire

A ladder was used to bring the man, woman and baby down

Three people have been rescued, including a nine-month-old baby boy, after a fire at flats in Dundee.

Some 20 firefighters dealt with the blaze, which broke out at about 0220 GMT in a ground-floor home in Thurso Crescent in Menzieshill.

A man, woman and the baby were brought down by ladder from the third floor.

The occupant of the flat where the fire started was treated for the effects of smoke. The fire service said a dropped cigarette may have started the blaze.

Station manager Martin Tait said: "The people who had to be rescued had obviously opened their front door onto the communal close of the flat, which allowed smoke into their flat.

It could've had the potential to spread a lot further than that Martin Tait Tayside Fire and Rescue

"So they were in their living room area at their window and there was smoke in the flat so the decision was made to assist them down with a ladder.

"They were then led to paramedics for them to do some precautionary checks."

The living room where the fire broke out has been extensively damaged and there was also smoke damage in the rest of the property and the close.

Mr Tait said it could have been very dangerous.

"It certainly had a potential to be a lot more serious than it was," he said.

"But we got there quite quickly and effected the rescues and managed to deal with the fire reasonably quickly, so it was contained within the living room area.

"It could've had the potential to spread a lot further than that."

Firefighters will be returning to the flats to give safety advice to the residents.