QUICK thinking firefighters smashed a window to save the life of a man who was trapped in a smoke filled flat.

Fire crews were called to Beeston Court, Basildon, at 5.30am today.

Two firefighters, Dan Tolley and Gary Bannister, had gone on foot to the scene while colleagues manoeuvred the fire engine down narrow streets to reach the flat.

When they arrived, they could see the silhouette of a man trapped in the smoke filled first floor flat.

Mr Bannister lifted Mr Tolley up, so he could haul himself over the railing onto a balcony and smash the window with a metal rod he had found.

Once inside, the firefighter pulled the man out of the flat to safety.

Basildon fire station manager Craig McLellan said: "Had it not been for the quick thinking and swift action of firefighter Dan Tolley and leading firefighter Gary Bannister then I am certain this man would have died.

"LFF Bannister boosted FF Tolley up and he was able to pull himself over the railing and onto the balcony, smash the window and get the man out.

"The man was treated at the scene by ambulance crews, he suffered smoke inhalation but was not taken to hospital.

"Once the man was safely out the remaining crews arrived and quickly dealt with the fire.

"It's not an exaggeration to say that the action taken by the first two firefighters at the scene saved this man's life"

Crews had been alerted to the fire by a man who had diverted from his normal route to work because he saw a stray dog and followed it to see if it was OK.

This diversion meant he spotted the smoke filled flat and dialled 999.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus had extinguished the fire by 6.15am.