A MAN was saved by his smoke alarm after falling asleep and setting fire to his mattress with a cigarette.

Firefighters were called to a ground floor flat in Vange Hill Drive, Basildon yesterday (Thursday, 25 April) at 9.21pm after a neighbour heard the alarm.

Two crews from Basildon arrived and rescued a man who was lying on a mattress which was alight.

Watch Manager Darryl Worster said: "The occupant fell asleep while smoking and the cigarette set fire to his mattress; it produced a lot of smoke but luckily it did not set fire to the bedding.

"If you're a smoker or you know someone who is, we'd urge you to avoid smoking if you're tired or if you've been drinking or taking heavy medication. 

"The incident also highlights how important it is to have working smoke alarms, which in this case alerted a neighbour.

"We recommend you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home and that you test them at least once a month."

Crews rescued the man and extinguished the fire by 9.37pm.

They also gave him oxygen before leaving him in the care of the Ambulance Service.