Quick actions by a carer may have saved the life of a vulnerable woman after fire broke out in her Broadstairs home last night.

Firefighters have this morning praised the speed and professionalism of the carer following the incident which led to both both women being treated in hospital.

The carer found a pan had been left on the hob and caught alight at her client’s Bairds Hill home just before 7.30pm.

She persuaded the woman, thought to be in her late 60s, to leave her home. The carer reduced the spread of fire and smoke by closing the kitchen door as they left the flat.

Firefighters, alerted by a 999 call, used a high pressure hose reel to extinguish the fire and a positive pressure ventilation fan to clear smoke.

Ramsgate watch manager Chris Nation said: “Both women took in several lungs full of thick acrid smoke and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance for precautionary checks. Had the carer not been there at the time and carried out these actions, the resident could well have been in a life-threatening situation or seriously hurt and the fire is likely to have spread to other areas of the flat.”

People are urged to be aware of added risks for older people if they live alone, have health or mobility problems, use an old, unstable heater or open fire, smoke or drink, take medication that makes them sleeping, or have stacks of objects in the hall or other rooms that might prevent them escaping a fire.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service offers free home safety advice and home visits to elderly and vulnerable people.

Home visits take about 30 minutes. Staff can offer safety advice and will fit, where needed, free smoke alarms and other help such as fire proof blankets, alarms for people with hearing problems or cooker shut offs for someone likely to be forgetful about turning off the cooker.

For more details, call free from landlines: 0800 923 7000, email: home@kent.fire-uk.org or visithttp://www.saferwinter.info/