A MAN IN his 30s was seriously ill in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee last night after he was trapped in his flat during an early morning fire.

Fire crews from the Macalpine Road were called to the blaze in Strathmartine Road at 3 am yesterday.

When they arrived they found one woman outside the flat waiting for emergency services.

She had escaped the blaze by climbing out a window and sustained a number of cuts in the process.

A man was still trapped inside the ground floor flat.

The fire crews quickly forced entry through the front door and rescued the man.

He was taken outside and treated for serious smoke inhalation by paramedics before being taken to Ninewells.

It is understood that the man is still in intensive care.

The cause of the fire, which was confined to the bathroom, is still under investigation.

Station Officer Gordon Brown said there was no smoke alarm in the flat and that if there had been, the occupants may have been given an early warning about the blaze and had more time to escape.

A police spokesman said, “A female within the address had climbed out of a window and sustained minor cuts.

“Firefighters went into the flat and took out a male who was still inside. He has been taken to hospital suffering from serious smoke inhalation.

“Inquiries are under way to establish the cause of the blaze.”

Fire crews boarded up the flat to secure the property but the remains of the bath, which was badly damaged in the blaze, were left in the back garden of the block of flats.

Firefighters also checked other flats in the close to ensure no one else had suffered smoke inhalation.