FIRE officer Mike McGonnell this week praised the actions of a young woman trapped in a burning house.

Emma Barton opened her bedroom door to find choking smoke pouring up the stairs and onto the landing.

She ran back into the bedroom, shut the door and rang 999 on her mobile phone.

Three fire engines raced to the scene in Haworth Avenue, Congleton, and found her leaning out of the bedroom screaming for help.

Firefighters put up a ladder against the window, and helped the terrified young woman down to safety.

Emma, in her early 20s, was the only person in the house.

She was taken to hospital suffering from the effects of inhaling smoke.

The fire broke out in the living room of the semi-detached house at 6.30pm on Tuesday, and 3 fire engines attended.

Sub-officer McGonnell said the blaze was believed to have started as a result of a cigarette left burning in the living room.

The cigarette set fire to a chair, and despite the living room door having been closed the resulting smoke soon found its way up the stairs.

Sub Officer McGonnell said fire officers investigating the blaze found that a smoke detector had been disconnected.

"When we arrived at the house we found a young girl leaning out of the first floor window screaming," he said.

"We put up a ladder to the window, and one of the firefighters helped her down.

"She showed great presence of mind in closing the bedroom door and telling us exactly where she was, which saved time. She did everything right."

He estimated that the fire was within a minute of "flashover," when the whole room would have ignited.