Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue rescued five people from a fire in a flat in Reading.
In a statement it said: “At 7.27pm on Thursday, February 1, we received reports of a fire in a flat on Southcote Road, Reading.
“Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service crews from Caversham Road, Wokingham Road, Whitley Wood and Theale were sent to the scene, along with one officer.
“Upon arrival, crews found a fire in a first floor flat with smoke affecting the first and second floors.
Firefighters rescued five people during the incident using smoke hoods and placed them into the care of South Central Ambulance Service.
“Three people had evacuated themselves from the building prior to the arrival of crews.
“Six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used three hose reels to extinguish the fire before ventilating the property.
Martyn Doolin, group manager, added: “Upon reaching the scene, our first priority was of course, to ensure the residents’ safety.
“The use of smoke hoods allowed us to evacuate residents through areas of the building affected by smoke and into clear air.
“Crews worked quickly and effectively as part of a multi-agency response to deal with this challenging incident.”
