A DRUNKEN man had to be dragged out of his flat by firefighters after he fell asleep, leaving a boil in the bag fish in a pan on the cooker.

The 52-year-old was oblivious to the fact his kitchen was on fire, despite the siren from his smoke alarm.

The noise woke his neighbour, a man in his early twenties, who called firefighters to Inness Road, Owlton Manor, Hartlepool, at about 1am on Saturday.

They broke down his front door to get in to the smoke-filled flat but even that did not wake the man.

"He is very lucky to be alive and he owes his neighbour an awful lot," said Station Officer Les Love.

"If it wasn't for him, he probably would not be here."

The fire started after the pan boiled dry and the heat ignited the plastic wrapper around the fish. Heat from the fire was so intense the pan had melted on to the stove.

"It was just starting to get out of control when we got there and if the alarm had not been raised so quickly, it could have been a lot worse," said SO Love.

The man was taken to Hartlepool University Hospital where he was treated for smoke inhalation.

SO Love said: "It just to goes to show that even with a smoke alarm, it is not a good idea to cook late at night when you have had a lot to drink."