A FIRE broke out in a Blackburn flat in the early hours of this morning, leaving severe damage to the kitchen.

Firefighters said the two occupants of the property in Silverdale Close, Highercroft, were alerted by their smoke alarm at about 2.50am.

The couple, who were both in their 20s, evacuated the ground floor flat and were taken to hospital for precautionary checks after emergency services arrived.

A faulty fridge was suspected of sparking the blaze.

Blackburn fire crews use two sets of breathing apparatus and a ventilation unit to tackle the fire, which also left severe smoke damage to the flat.