Eight homes were evacuated when fire broke out in a block of flats last night.

The blaze started in the kitchen of a ground floor flat in Parkwood Rise, Keighley.

The occupiers of the flat, a man and a woman, were led to safety by firefighters.

The blaze, which started when an unattended chip pan caught fire, caused severe damage to the kitchen area.

Smoke from the blaze spread throughout the corridors of the building, causing the whole block to be evacuated.

Firemen from Keighley used positive pressure ventilation fans to clear smoke from the building.

The blaze is at least the third this year on Parkwood Rise to have been started when a pan was left unattended.

John Smithies, crew manager at Keighley fire station, said: "Two occupiers inside were led to safety and were checked over at the scene.

"The fire was contained, but we got everyone out of the block. The smoke had gone through the rest of the corridors."

Mr Smithies said the occupiers had been alerted to the fire by smoke alarms.

He said: "It's an important issue for people to have smoke alarms fitted."

The incident happened at about 10.30pm.