A FLAT went up in flames after a cigarette was left unattended, firefighters have revealed.
Crews were called to the building in Martins Lane, Bracknell, to find roaring flames and thick plumes of black smoke shortly after 1.30pm.
They spent more than an hour dousing the blaze using hose reels and breathing apparatus, before launching an investigation into the cause.
Despite the cause being unclear at first, firemen later discovered that "smoking materials" had been left unattended, sparking the flames.
Fortunately however, the resident had already left the building and there were no injuries as a result of the devastating fire.
Crew Manager Chris Hawkins said: "We got a call to a flat fire.
"It was well alight by the time we got there, we tackled the flames using hose reels and we wore breathing apparatus.
"The cause of the fire was smoking materials.
"There was nobody inside."
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