A MAN was today rescued by fire fighters after being found unconscious in his smoke filled third floor flat.

He was found slumped on the floor behind his living room door.

Crews revived the 49-year-old with oxygen, but he declined to go to hospital for a check up.

A neighbour had been alerted by the smell of smoke and raised the alarm. Unable to raise anybody on arriving at the flat in Central Mews, Middlesbrough, fire fighters smashed the door down - and discovered the collapsed, unnamed tenant.

Kevin Boffy, watch manager with Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: "He was very lucky. If he had been laid there several minutes longer, he would have suffered fatal consequences.

"He had been smoking on his couch, under a blanket. The cigarette had dropped down when he had fallen asleep and had lit the blanket.'' The man had woken, and tried to put the smouldering blanket out by holding the blanket under a kitchen tap.

Mr Boffy explained: "He had tried to put it out: had put most of it out, under the sink tap, but it was not fully out. He was just overwhelmed by the smoke.'' Mr Boffy paid tribute to the vigilance of the fire victim's neighbour. The man's flat has been fitted with an automatic fire alarm - but it had failed to activate.