A FIRE caused by a cigarette butt ended with dozens of elderly people being evacuated in Belsize Park. Last Friday afternoon firefighters were called to Burnet House on Winchester Road when smoke filled one of the apartments. The Origin Group, which runs

A FIRE caused by a cigarette butt ended with dozens of elderly people being evacuated in Belsize Park.

Last Friday afternoon firefighters were called to Burnet House on Winchester Road when smoke filled one of the apartments.

The Origin Group, which runs the sheltered housing block, said the fire was started when a man accidentally threw a lit cigarette in his bin.

Simon Angell was working on the drains behind the block at the time of the fire.

He said: "We could smell the smoke then the alarm went off.

"We could see the smoke coming out of the one of windows, so we alerted one of the carers here and everyone was kicked out."

Four fire engines were called to the scene as well as an ambulance but fortunately no one was injured.