An elderly woman has escaped after a fire broke out in her flat, with firefighters from stations across the Island responding to the incident in Ryde this evening (Tuesday).
It was just before 18:30 that fire alarms in a block of flats on Newport Street began to sound, with smoke billowing from the air vent of a ground floor property.
4 fire appliances from Ryde and Newport – including an Aerial Ladder Platform – are currently on scene, with further resources responding from Sandown.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and armed with hose reels have entered the flat, with smoke making its way through the communal areas of the block.
The elderly female occupant of the flat at the centre of this evening’s incident managed to escape ahead of the arrival of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, with other occupants of the block evacuating also.
She was initially cared for by neighbours but is now being checked over by the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service.
Newport Street is blocked as emergency services work to extinguish and contain the fire.
UPDATE – The incident has been brought to a close, more than 2-and-a-half hours after the fire broke out.
It has been confirmed that 1 person has been taken to hospital as a precaution, having suffered the effects of light smoke inhalation.
