Person in ‘serious condition’ after Portslade house fire

Emergency services were called at around 1pm today to a house fire in Southdown Road, Portslade

Firefighting crews from Hove and Preston Circus attended the scene, where they used two breathing apparatus and one hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.

A spokesman said: “One casualty had self-evacuated and was handed over in to the care of SECAMB.”

The ambulance service said one person was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital by road in a serious condition.

The air ambulance was also called to the scene, landing in the grounds of Portslade Aldridge Community Academy.

Its crew travelled in the ambulance to help treat the patient en route to hospital.

The fire service said a preliminary fire investigation had taken place and the cause of the fire had been deemed accidental. A further investigation will take place in due course, it said.