A kitchen fire broke out at student flats in Gillingham last night.

Firefighters were called to Liberty Quays in Blake Avenue just after 11pm.

The blaze had been put out before crews arrived but a student said it took a long time for people to leave the building, as fire alarms were set off all the time.

VIDEO: Fire crews at the scene

She added: "I listened to the fire alarm ring for 20 minutes, only leaving when I smelled smoke.

"Security had to come round and knock on everyone's doors."

Crews from Chatham and Strood fire stations were called out to the student flats and arrived within six minutes.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue said: "A student had left a pan of oil on the stove and had left the room.

"He told us the next thing he knew the alarms were going off and he came back in the room and it was on fire.

"He made up for the mistake of leaving the pan unattended by getting the fire blanket out and smothering the fire.

"He saved that floor really. If he had not done that things could be a lot different, the fire would have been more severe.

"We had to give the security guy, who was in his 40s, some oxygen as he had tried to tackle the flames too.

"Once it was realised there was an actual emergency, the students got out in an orderly fashion.

"The message is never leave cooking unattended on any occasions."

Firefighters left the scene at 12.50am.

Nobody was injured in the blaze.