A PENSIONER was taken to hospital for checks after he was rescued from a house fire in Birkenhead on New Year’s Day.

The 75-year-old was found by firefighters in the first-floor bathroom of the property in Devonshire Road on Sunday and given oxygen.

He was checked at the scene by paramedics and taken to Arrowe Park Hospital for treatment.

A second man, 70, was out of the property when firefighters arrived and was assessed at the scene by paramedics – he declined further hospital treatment.

Three fire engines attended the incident, which involved a fire on the first floor and ground floor of the property.

Crews and used high-pressure hose reels to extinguish the fire.

They checked adjacent properties for fire spread and ventilated the property involved in fire.

An electric heater was severely damaged by fire. A first-floor and ground-floor living room also suffered damaged.

Following an investigation by Incident Investigators from Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service the cause of the fire was found to be accidental ignition.

Firefighters remained at the scene for around two hours and 40 minutes.