A MAN woke up in the middle of the night to find a raging fire in his lounge after a pile of stacked logs near a wood burning stove caught light.

People with wood burners and open fires are being urged to take extra care following the incident, which happened at a house in Wickhurst Lane in Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, shortly before midnight on Wednesday.

The fire had started after the man had gone to bed, but he was woken by a smoke alarm and managed to escape the blaze with the help of a neighbour.

Fire fighters arrived to found a substantial fire blazing in the ground floor lounge.

Group manager for fire safety at West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Richard Bradley said: “Fortunately the home owner had a working smoke alarm fitted and was alerted to the fire, despite already having gone to bed.

“Having a working smoke alarm gives you the earliest warning that something isn’t right, giving you the greatest chance of getting out of your property safely.

"Had this resident not had a smoke alarm in their property, the outcome would likely have been very different.

“The fire was started after a large pile of stacked wood next to the wood burner downstairs caught fire.

"We would encourage people who have log burners or open fireplaces to ensure that their fuel supply is stored safely away from the fire itself so as to prevent it igniting unexpectedly.”