A MAN found unconscious in his burning house after a kitchen fire remains in a critical condition.

A 57-year-old man is fighting for his life after he was discovered unconscious and not breathing on the landing of the terraced house in Longfield Road, Daubhill at about 4.15am yesterday.

Firefighters have now confirmed the blaze begun in the kitchen and was accidental.

The man, named locally as Nick Baker, was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital — where he remains — by ambulance suffering from severe smoke inhalation.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “The man is still in a critical condition – there is not much change.

“Our fire investigators are continuing to do their work and we now know the fire was an accidental blaze which begun in the kitchen.

“We do not know any more about what exactly caused the fire at this stage.”

The blaze destroyed the kitchen, filling the mid-terraced house with smoke which travelled up the stairs in a chimney-like fashion and seeped into the houses next door, a fire service spokesman said.

Mr Baker, described by a neighbour as having a "smile for anyone he came across", did not regain consciousness before he was taken to hospital, according to firefighters.

Bolton Central fire service watch manager Karsten Boyle said: "Neighbours told us a lone male lived there and we then made entry through both the front and rear of the property to locate anyone within the house and tackle the fire.

"We rescued a man on the landing and brought him outside.

"He was unconscious and appeared to be not breathing.

"We started CPR and were assisted by paramedics who arrived as well."

For a free Home Safety Check and advice about how to keep you and your family safe from fire call 0800 555 815