A MAN escaped unhurt from his smoke-filled top floor flat after fire ripped through a Teignmouth town centre property on Tuesday.

About 12 residents of the three-storey block on the corner of Higher Brook Street had to be evacuated while more than 30 firefighters tackled the blaze.

The occupant of the flat, Nick Tooley, was said to be unhurt but he and his other top- floor neighbours were having to be rehoused just weeks before Christmas.

Fire inspectors were at the scene trying to establish what caused the fire.

Initial suggestions are it was accidental and not suspicious.