By Hayley Robinson

A man fell asleep after leaving food cooking on a stove sparking a panic.

Firefighters were called to Railway Court, Railway Street, Gillingham, at 2am this morning (Friday).

People saw smoke coming from the man’s flat and realised he was inside and hadn’t heard the alarm.

They alerted him and he left the building before crews arrived.

Paul Nash, blue watch manager for Medway, said: "It seems the man had fallen asleep and left some food cooking on the hob.

"The fire alarm went off but because of his hearing impairment he was unable to hear it.

"Luckily there was no fire, just a lot of smoke.

"Fortunately the neighbour heard his alarm and so he escaped unhurt but it could have had a serious outcome and serve as a good reminder to others that they should never leave cooking unattended.

"We would like to remind people that we can get hold of smoke alarms suitable for people with hearing impairments. The alarm uses moveable vibrating pads and strobe lights to alert deaf people to any potential fire.
"We also offer free home fire safety checks."

For a free home safety check call 0800 923 7000.