FIREFIGHTERS rushed to a Bracknell flat after a lit cigarette sparked a blaze in a bin. 

Officers were dispatched to a flat in Ladybank, Birch Hill after a cigarette was placed in the bin before being properly distinguished. 

Luckily the owner of the flat had got out of the home once the smoke alarm had started ringing.

Firefighters forced their way inside to stop the flames from spreading. 

Crew manager Ritchie Sage said: "The fire started in a waste bin in a kitchen from where a cigarette hadn't been disposed of properly. 

"There were two fire engines, one from Bracknell, one from Crowthorne. We used breathing apparatus and a hose reel, pretty straightforward. 

"The door slammed shut as she left, so we had to force entry. But there was no problem extinguishing the fire."

In light of the Grenfell Tower disaster, people are being advised to be as fire safe as possible, and Mr Sage had a message to give to all smokers.

He said: "Make sure your cigarettes are distinguished before putting them into the bin."