A SPRINKLER system prevented serious damage after it was activated when a fire started in Cornwall's only high rise block of flats.

Firefighters from St Austell Community Fire Station were called to the 120 foot block in Bridge Road, St Austell at lunchtime yesterday.

An automatic fire alarm sounded in the block called Park House which is the tallest in Cornwall and has 67 flats. The automatic sprinkler system activated and put out the flames preventing serious damage.

The occupant of the flat had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The report from fire control read: "Firefighters from St Austell Community Fire Station attended a report of an automatic fire alarm sounding in a block of flats.

"Upon investigation, a fire had already been extinguished by sprinklers that had automatically activated, containing the fire and smoke within the flat and preventing serious damage. "Ambulance were requested for an occupant in the flat that had inhaled smoke."

The block of flats is the only high-rise block in Cornwall and has 11 floors. It is managed by Ocean Housing and was built in 1968.

Work on the block, which is managed by Ocean Housing, began in 1968 and took two years to complete.

There have been a number of fires at the block over the years, the last in 2019.

In 2017 tenants were received safety assurances from firefighters following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London.