A teenager suffered minor burns after he tried to put out a mattress fire at home.

The incident happened in a top floor flat in Bower Street, Maidstone, at just after 1am this morning.

A smoke alarm had alerted the occupants to the small blaze, which had been started by an electrical appliance.

The occupants used a fire extinguisher to put it out and carried the mattress down to the ground floor kitchen, but it flared up again.

Fire crews went in wearing breathing apparatus and put out two fires across the three floors of the property.

They also used a ventilator fan to clear smoke from the building.

Maidstone watch manager Chris Puxsted said: “It is a natural instinct to want to try and put a fire out yourself, but as these incident show, fire can be very unpredictable and difficult to control or put out safely. It is easy to get injured, and people often don’t realise just how overpowering and damaging toxic fire smoke is.

"I would strongly urge any residents who are alerted to a fire in their home to get out as quickly as possible, to stay out and to call 999.”

The 16-year-old boy suffered minor burns to his arm, which was treated at the scene.