FIREFIGHTERS broke down the front door of a flat after a woman fell asleep while cooking food. 

Crews were called to Great Lever on Wednesday night when neighbours heard a fire alarm going off in their street.

Fire engines arrived in Weston Street at about 10pm where the crews smelt burning food coming from one of the small terraced properties.

After repeatedly knocking on the doors and windows of the house, located across from Bolton Islamic School for Girls, they got no response from inside.

Fearing the occupier may be hurt or unconscious, they forced the front door open.

Inside they found a 59-year-old woman attempting to tackle the blaze — caused by burning food — in a sink.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said there were no flames but smoke coming from the pan when she got to the kitchen.

She added: “I just put the food on in a pan and fell into a deep sleep.
“I woke up when I heard the fire alarm. I thought it was coming from someone else’s house, not mine.

“I just went in, took the pan off the hob and turned the cooker off. I’m fine, I’m still here.”

Firefighters were concerned for her health due to the amount of smoke caused by the fire.

Watch manager Karsten Boyle has now issued a warning for people not to attempt to tackle burning or fires by themselves. 

He explained: “When we couldn’t alert whoever was inside the property, we had to force entry. It was possible someone collapsed and that’s why the food was burning.

“Although the occupier dealt with the fire it would have been better if she had got out and called us.

“She could have been quite easily been overcome by the smoke created by the fire.

“We advise people to call us straight away and get away from the fire.”

Neighbours said they saw a number of fire engines outside the house and an ambulance.

The crew treated the woman on the scene but she had not suffered any injuries while trying to tackle the fire.