AN elderly man and his neighbours needed hospital treatment following a fire in West Cross this morning.

Emergency services were called to Cartesford Place around 12.30am, where a fire had taken grip in a ground floor flat.

Fire fighters who first attempted to enter the property were beaten back by smoke, and colleagues needed breathing apparatus to get to the first floor to rescue two men living upstairs.

One, Alan Dunster, was treated by paramedics and kept in overnight at Morriston Hospital.

He said: “When I opened the door it was like a thick wall of smoke - it was solid.

“I was terrified”.

Crews from Swansea west and Swansea central fire stations extinguished the blaze the building was cleared of smoke using a pressure fan.

The ground floor flat suffered serious damage whilst the three other flats in the block suffered extensive smoke damage.

Fire service incident commander, station manager Craig Thomas said: “The gentleman had a very lucky escape from what was a serious blaze.

“Fortunately he was alerted to the fire by the smoke alarms fitted in his flat, which demonstrates what a life saving and essential item they are in every home.

"We would like to take this opportunity to remind members of the public how essential a smoke alarm is to avoid such dangerous situations.”