A MAN was dramatically rescued from his blazing house in York today, while another saved himself by jumping from a first-floor window.

Firefighters fought their way through thick, black smoke to reach the 28-year-old man, who fell unconscious after being heard frantically banging on a window.

He had been sleeping when the fire broke out at the property in Minter Close, Foxwood, just after midnight.

Neighbours desperately tried to reach the man before firefighters smashed a kitchen window with a brick, but were driven back by smoke.

A 32-year-old man who had been dozing in a front bedroom had already jumped from the top window, injuring his ankle.

He then directed firefighters to his unconscious friend.

A fire service spokeswoman said: "He was unconscious but breathing at the time. He is on the high dependency unit at York Hospital." The other man was also taken to the hospital.

Neighbours said they opened their curtains to see black smoke pouring out of a window.

Danielle Baker, 26, who lives next door, said: "It was really scary.

"He (her neighbour) said his mate was still in the house. We could hear him knocking on the back window but couldn't get in."

She said another neighbour then smashed the kitchen window with a brick but was beaten back by smoke.

Another neighbour, Sam Cavey, said: "I could hear him scraping and banging on the window trying to get out."

Leading Firefighter Paul Johnson said: "The owner of the house managed to rescue himself from the top bedroom window and was obviously in a state of shock.

"He managed to direct us to the other man in the back bedroom. Visibility was literally down to six inches in front of your face because of the smoke."

Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus smashed their way through the front door in order to reach the stranded resident.

The fire spokeswoman said the fire was due to an electrical fault, adding: "It started in a burglar alarm box in an under stairs cupboard. There was 100 per cent severe fire damage to the cupboard, and the remainder of the property had 50 per cent heat and 50 per cent smoke damage." Two fire crews from Acomb Fire Station attended the blaze.

lAbout 80 firefighters today tackled a huge blaze at a disused restaurant at Kirk Deighton, near Wetherby. They were called to the Old Alpine Lodge, just off the A1, at 12.30am.

Updated: 10:10 Wednesday, May 18, 2005