Cats rescued as sprinklers contain high-rise fire

Other residents in the high-rise block followed the building's 'stay put' policy with guidance from the fire service while crews dealt with the kitchen fire

A pair of cats have been rescued from a kitchen fire in a flat at a high-rise block of flats.

The fire, caused by things left on the hob, broke out on the third floor of the 15-storey tower block on Irving Road, Southampton, on Tuesday at about 17:00 BST.

Crews said they arrived to find the resident was safely outside and others in the block had stayed in their homes and followed the building's 'stay put' advice with support from the fire control room while crews dealt with the blaze.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service said two cats, rescued from the flat where a sprinkler system had kicked in and stopped the fire spreading, were returned to their relieved owner.

The fire service praised the building's fire safety measures after sprinklers kept the fire to the flat's kitchen

Incident commander Mark Caplen said: "The building performed exactly as designed during the fire.

"The sprinklers in the flats operated exactly as intended, containing the fire to a single room and preventing it from becoming a far more serious incident.

"This incident highlights the importance of having robust fire safety measures in place."