RESIDENTS were forced to evacuate from a block of flats near Poole Quay after a blaze broke out on the ground floor.

The occupants of six flats in South Road rushed to safety after the alarm was raised.

The emergency services were called shortly after 1.10pm on Wednesday.

Three fire engines and a rapid response car attended after the blaze was reported to the emergency services shortly after 1.10pm.

Police also closed part of the road.

Residents were able to make a quick escape after a man living in a nearby property spotted the fire.

After shouting for residents to evacuate the building, the man called the emergency services.

A spokesperson from the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The fire started on the ground floor of the block.

“However, other properties in the building have been affected by heavy smoke.

“A father and son were in a first-floor flat.

“The father was able to lower the son to safety.

“Crews then went into the building to rescue the father.

“A cat was also rescued.

“No one was taken to hospital, although paramedics treated a woman who was out of the building by the time fire crews arrived.”

“The youngster is an eight-year-old boy who was lowered down from the first floor of the property.”

Crews used six sets of breathing gear and three hoses as they extinguished the flames.

A spokesperson from the South Western Ambulance Service said paramedics were called to South Road shortly after the blaze began.

“One rapid response vehicle was called to the scene,” he said.

“A woman was treated by paramedics.”

It is not believed that the woman was seriously hurt.

Journalist Duncan Williams, who was working nearby, said: “Fortunately, it appears that nobody is hurt.

“The fire seemed to begin a bit after 1pm.

“People were alerted by a man who shouted at everyone to evacuate as there was a fire.

“It was lucky he was there - people were able to get out very, very promptly as a result of his actions.”

One of the residents forced to evacuate was a wheelchair user, Mr Williams said.

“There’s a lot of thick smoke everywhere,” he said.

“It looks like it was a bad fire.

“It’s very fortunate that everyone seems to be safe and well.

“That’s the most important thing.”

A man living nearby, who asked not to be named, said he’d heard someone shouting from a window on the first floor of the block of flats.

“It sounded like someone was trapped,” the man said.

“I could hear the person shouting out for help.

“It’s the second time there’s been a fire on the ground floor of this block.”

Representatives from the Poole Housing Partnership team also rushed to the scene to support residents and members of the emergency services.

A spokesperson from Dorset Police said the fire is not believed to be malicious.

“We were called by the fire service at around 1.17pm,” the spokesperson said.

“We closed the road to allow firefighters to deal with the incident.

“It is not being treated as suspicious.”

Residents have been taken to hotels overnight as the flats have suffered smoke damage.