Two people escaped a flat and firefighters rescued a dog after a blaze believed to have been caused by a faulty battery charger.

As smoke billowed from the first floor flat in St Andrews Close, Whitstable last night, two people managed to escape using a ladder, with one person injuring their leg while climbing down.

Firefighters said the injured person was passed into the care of paramedics, as firefighters worked for nearly two hours to tackle the blaze which started at about 10.30pm.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Services spokesman said: "When the first crews arrived they found smoke issuing from the property and the fire located in the first floor hallway of the flat.

"Two people had already been rescued before crews arrived by the use of a ladder - one of them suffered a leg injury in the climb down the ladder,"

"Firefighters initially supported(the injured person with medical treatment and welfare but then handed the care over to SECAmb paramedics."

Wearing breathing apparatus firefighters rescued a dog, which was still trapped inside.

A height vehicle and four engines were scrambled to the scene, where hose reel jets were used to extinguish the flames and dampen down the property.

There were no other reported injuries.

The fire is thought to have been started by a faulty battery charger, the spokesman continued.