A man was treated for burns this morning after he put out a fire on his balcony in St Mary’s Island.

Fire fighters were called to Sandling Way, Chatham, at 4.38am this morning.

A blaze had broken out on a third floor balcony, of a five storey building.

The resident, believed to be in his 40s, saw the flames when he got up for work and put it out using bowls of water from his kitchen.

He received first aid from firefighters for minor burns to his hand and lower arm. He was then checked by an ambulance crew but did not require hospital treatment.

Fire crews checked the balconies of the flats above and below.

The exterior wall was blackened by the smoke and the fire destroyed garden furniture, damaged the timber decking and the patio doors to the balcony.

Firefighters left the scene at 5.25am.