A MAN escaped a house fire before running to a nearby phone box to call for help.

Fire crews were called to a fire in a house in Weymouth in the early hours of yesterday morning. (Tuesday).

Two crews from Weymouth fire station were called to Brisbane Road, off Louviers Road in Littlemoor shortly after 4.15am.

A fire service spokesman said that the call came from a phone box down the road from the property after a man woke up to smoke in the house.

The spokesman said: “The call came in from a man from a call box down the road as he had to leave the house rather urgently.

“He ran down the road and called in a box down the road.”

He reported smoke on the ground and first floors of the property.

Firefighters used two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet and a thermal imaging device to extinguish the fire.

The man is to have been the only person in the property at the time of the fire.

The spokesperson said that the man did not know the source of the fire and that it had not yet been discovered.

They added they had no indication of the severity of damage caused to the property by the fire but an upstairs room appeared to have suffered smoke damage.

Furniture, including mattresses and other items looking Burnt and damaged belongings were left in front of the property following the incident.

Fire crews left the scene shortly after 5am.

The homeowner declined to comment when contacted.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service offers a free home safety check where they fit or replace smoke alarms and also give advice on fire safety.

To book one, call 0800 038 2323.

The service recommends that people have a smoke alarm on each floor and that they are tested once a week and the battery is changed once a year.