A SMOKE alarm may have saved a man’s life after he fell asleep with a chip pan on.

The man, believed to be in his mid thirties, was taken to Basildon Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after a flat fire in Moss Road, Vange.

His first floor flat filled up with smoke as he slept after the chip pan caught light at about 6.30pm yesterday.

Lee Vine, station officer at Basildon Fire Station, said: “The smoke alarm could have prevented his death or disastrous consequences.

“Without that being there, God knows what could have happened.”

The man appears to have fallen asleep in his lounge after turning on the chip pan.

The hot oil caught light and the fire spread to a microwave next to the pan.

The man, who was woken by the smoke alarm sounding and put out the chip pan fire by smothering it with a tea towel.

He then put out the small fire next to it and fled the flat, which was completely filled with smoke as all the internal doors were open.

Mr Vine said: “When we got there he was on his knees coughing and spluttering.

“The flat was 100 per cent smoke-logged.

“The kitchen was fairly badly damaged by the smoke and fire.”

The firefighters cleared the flat of smoke using large fans.

A fire service spokesman said: “An ambulance was called for a man who suffered after breathing in smoke from a kitchen fire which started in a chip pan.

“The fire was out when crews arrived but the man was suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.

“Firefighters carried out an inspection to ensure all was safe at the scene.”