Twelve people were taken to hospital after a fire at a Douglas building.
At about 3.40am today (October 14) reports were received of a fire in the four-storey building in Bucks Road.
Trapped
Firefighters were on the scene within minutes and realised people were trapped inside on the upper floors. Smoke was billowing from the building.
Officers wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire and carried out search and rescue operations.
“Two casualties were rescued from a top floor flat and brought to safety using the turntable ladder,” said a fire service spokesperson.
“In total 12 casualties received initial treatment on scene from the Isle of Man Ambulance Service and were later transported to Noble’s Hospital for precautionary checks.
Major Incident
“Due to the number of casualties requiring treatment, a major incident was declared for a short period to coordinate the response. All casualties have now been discharged from hospital.”
There were 25 firefighters on the scene, assisted by ambulance staff, police and emergency planning.
“An initial indication suggests the fire may be linked to a bathroom extractor fan, however a fire investigation remains ongoing at this time,” the spokesperson added.
Fire Protection Officers have also attended to undertake a fire safety inspection of the premises and remain on scene.
“The Isle of Man Fire & Rescue Service would like to thank all personnel and responding agencies for their efforts and professionalism throughout the incident.”
The service said it underlined the importance of checking smoke alarms.