Portsmouth firefighters tackle tower block blaze

Firefighters from across Portsmouth were called out to a flat fire in a high-rise block, yesterday evening.

Crews from Cosham, Southsea, Havant and Portchester were quickly on the scene of Tipton House, following the initial call being received by the HIWFRS Control Room at 16:13 reporting smoke coming through the letterbox of a first-floor flat.

One 75-year-old male casualty was rescued by firefighters and handed over to South Central Ambulance Service paramedics to be taken onto hospital.

The fire was extinguished using four sets of breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets, one main jet and ventilation fans to clear smoke.

Crews left the scene at 17:23, having delivered community safety messages to neighbouring properties, which were unaffected and weren’t evacuated.