A dad told how he and his family were among those who had to be evacuated after a fire broke out in their block of flats.

The fire started in the kitchen of one of the flats in Reeve Lane, Poundbury after a cooker was accidentally switched on, setting light to a nappy bag left on top.

A picture released by the fire service shows the devastation caused by the blaze.

The occupier, a woman and her two children, escaped safely thanks to a smoke alarm alerting them to the fire. It is understood she has had to leave her home because the damage to the kitchen was so extensive.

Marco Alfarrobinha, who lives next door with his partner and three-year old daughter, praised the emergency services for their rapid response and said that three fire engines and two ambulance crews were on the scene in under ten minutes on Friday.

Mr Alfarrobinha said: "The alarm went off at about 5.15pm and within minutes three fire appliances were outside.

"All of the flats in our block were evacuated – I remember asking firefighters whether I could get my little girl dressed as it was freezing outside, and they said it was safe to do so."

He added: "As we made our way out, we saw our neighbour being evacuated from her flat where the fire was – she was in tears.

"She was absolutely distraught.

"She had been changing her baby's nappy and momentarily put the nappy bag down on top of the cooker, which she thought was turned off – but unfortunately it was on, and it just caught fire."

Mr Alfarrobinha said that two ambulances arrived, but nobody was taken to hospital.

He said: "The kids were being looked after in the ambulances to help them stay warm - my neighbour's children were in a bit of a state of shock, but my little one, Maya, was fine – she enjoyed seeing inside the ambulance.

"My neighbour's flat was doused with water to extinguish the flames but sadly her kitchen is completely gone.

"Our flat wasn't affected but the corridor outside still smelt of smoke on Saturday, although it seems to be improving.

"The family won't be able to move back in until the landlord can fix the damage – hopefully it won't take too long so they can get back to normal."

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said said the electric hob was accidentally switched on, setting alight a nappy bag which had been left on it.

Two fire crews from Dorchester and one from Weymouth were called to the property at 5.19pm on Friday and used two breathing apparatus wearers and one hose reel jet to extinguish the blaze. The damage to the kitchen was 'severe'.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued the following kitchen safety advice:

* Take care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking

* Take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk

* If a pan catches fire, don’t take any risks – get out, stay out and call 999

* Double check the hob is off when you’ve finished cooking

* Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob

* Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – this can easily catch fire

* Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking, and keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach

* Take care with electrics – keep leads and appliances away from water and place grills away from curtains and kitchen rolls

* Keep your equipment clean and in good working order. A build-up of fat or grease can ignite a fire

* Don’t cook after drinking alcohol

* Hot oil can catch fire easily – be careful that it doesn’t overheat

* Never throw water on a chip pan fire

* In the event of a fire, have an escape plan in place

* Install a smoke alarm and test it weekly