TAVISTOCK'S firemen were involved in a dramatic rescue last weekend when they saved the lives of three men — and a cat.
The Fire and Rescue Services was called out at 3.45am to a flat in West Street where they discovered a smoked-filled room on the first floor.
Two members of the crew, wearing breathing apparatus, found flat-owner James Terry looking for his pet, said fire chief Chris Neale.
'As they led him to safety, he told us that there were two other men asleep in the flat and he couldn't wake them,' said Mr Neale.
The rescue team returned to the flat, woke the men and led them through thick acrid smoke to the safety of the street. The team then returned to the flat to look for the cat.
'We found it, brought it out and gave it oxygen and it was okay,' said Mr Neale.
Mr Terry was taken by ambulance to hospital where he received treatment for smoke inhalation. He was released later that day.
The fire was believed to have started in the kitchen which was severely damaged.
Mr Neale advised pet owners not to return to a smoke-filled property but to leave any rescue attempt to the fire service.
'Also, shut all doors at night and fit a smoke alarm,' he said. 'If this flat had been fitted with alarms and all the doors closed, the damage would not have been so severe.'
An investigation into the cause of the fire is being carried out.