A man was seriously injured after jumping from a second floor window to escape a fire in Gravesend.

Emergency crews were called at around 4pm this afternoon as fire took hold of a residential building in Palmer Avenue.

Private medics Simon O'Brien and colleague Charlie Bushell, who both live nearby, also raced to the scene and treated a 64 year old man who had leapt from a flat.

"When we turned up the firefighters were already there," said Mr O'Brien, 40, who works for Event Staff Solutions. "A police officer had been first on the scene and he said the guy had jumped out of the window, so we dealt with the casualty.

"He was on the grass and the police asked us to help. I asked how he had got there and the police said they had dragged him to safety. He'd jumped out of the window to escape the fire.

"We took over and gave him oxygen - he had suspected broken pelvis and suspected broken spine and his blood pressure was low.

Mr O'Brien said paramedics then arrived and took over care before the man who was "in and out of consciousness."

He was transferred to an ambulance and taken to hospital.

"It looked like the top floor flat had completely gone," added Mr O'Brien. "When I turned up I saw flames coming out of the window but after that we were just dealing with the casualty."

Kent Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they called to a fire at a flat in Palmer Avenue, Gravesend, and that one casualty was passed into the care of the ambulance service.

An ambulance service spokesman said: "We were called shortly before 4pm yesterday to reports of a fire. Ambulance crews, including a critical care paramedic attended the scene and a man was treated at the scene before being taken to Kings College Hospital with serious injuries."

Four fire engines were sent to the scene and crews wearing breathing apparatus used hose reel jets to extinguish the flames.

The cause is not yet known. Crews are currently still in attendance to ensure the area is safe and to carry out investigation work.

Kent Police also confirmed they were called to the scene and said officers assisted Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

Police say the fire is not currently being treated as suspicious.

Read more: all the latest news from Gravesend