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| 13 people rescued from flat fire | 13 people rescued from flat fire |
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| Thirteen people have been rescued after their block of flats caught fire in Mountain Ash in the Cynon Valley. | Thirteen people have been rescued after their block of flats caught fire in Mountain Ash in the Cynon Valley. |
| South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it appeared the blaze had been deliberately started at the only entrance of the flats. | South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it appeared the blaze had been deliberately started at the only entrance of the flats. |
| Emergency workers talked to occupiers on the phone to direct firefighters as they broke into the flats at Cefn Pennar at around 0215 BST on Wednesday. | Emergency workers talked to occupiers on the phone to direct firefighters as they broke into the flats at Cefn Pennar at around 0215 BST on Wednesday. |
| The residents were treated by ambulance staff but did not go to hospital. | The residents were treated by ambulance staff but did not go to hospital. |
| The fire was brought under control and South Wales Police have confirmed they are investigating it. | The fire was brought under control and South Wales Police have confirmed they are investigating it. |
| Tudor Cousins, who was in his son Michael's first-floor flat when the fire started, described having to flee the building wearing just shorts and a top. | Tudor Cousins, who was in his son Michael's first-floor flat when the fire started, described having to flee the building wearing just shorts and a top. |
| "My son heard a crackling noise and wasn't sure what it was," he said. | "My son heard a crackling noise and wasn't sure what it was," he said. |
| I will be honest with you, it was frightening Tudor Cousins, pictured with his son Michael | I will be honest with you, it was frightening Tudor Cousins, pictured with his son Michael |
| "We thought it was fighting out in the passage. What happened then he opened the door and shouted 'dad' and I went straight out and it was black with smoke but I didn't see no flames at that particular time. | "We thought it was fighting out in the passage. What happened then he opened the door and shouted 'dad' and I went straight out and it was black with smoke but I didn't see no flames at that particular time. |
| "Then we shut the door but the door sprung open and as it sprung open, the flames were as high as the second storey." | "Then we shut the door but the door sprung open and as it sprung open, the flames were as high as the second storey." |
| Mr Cousins and his son went to their balcony and, along with their dog, dropped to safety. | Mr Cousins and his son went to their balcony and, along with their dog, dropped to safety. |
| They then went to find a set of ladders to try to help others get out of the burning building before the fire service arrived five minutes later. | They then went to find a set of ladders to try to help others get out of the burning building before the fire service arrived five minutes later. |
| They also helped get an old man out of his ground floor flat. | They also helped get an old man out of his ground floor flat. |
| Mr Cousins said he believed the fire was deliberately started. | Mr Cousins said he believed the fire was deliberately started. |
| "There was furniture on the bottom floor of the flat just outside the door and for some reason it just ignited, unless somebody put a match to it, I don't know," he said. | "There was furniture on the bottom floor of the flat just outside the door and for some reason it just ignited, unless somebody put a match to it, I don't know," he said. |
| A large part of the ground floor was damaged in the fire | A large part of the ground floor was damaged in the fire |
| "And the flames just went blazing." | "And the flames just went blazing." |
| He added: "I will be honest with you, it was frightening." | He added: "I will be honest with you, it was frightening." |
| He and other residents have been not able to return to the building, which has been blackened by smoke, and have been rehoused. | He and other residents have been not able to return to the building, which has been blackened by smoke, and have been rehoused. |
| Detective Inspector Claire Hallett, of South Wales Police, said it appeared that rubbish at the entrance to the flats had been deliberately set alight. | Detective Inspector Claire Hallett, of South Wales Police, said it appeared that rubbish at the entrance to the flats had been deliberately set alight. |
| "We're currently treating it as suspicious," she said. | "We're currently treating it as suspicious," she said. |
| "All the occupants were evacuated safely and they have all been rehoused. | "All the occupants were evacuated safely and they have all been rehoused. |
| "We're speaking to people that were round and about in the area at the time and we will be doing house-to-house enquiries." | "We're speaking to people that were round and about in the area at the time and we will be doing house-to-house enquiries." |
| A fire service spokeswoman said a large area of the ground floor was damaged including the main stairwell. | A fire service spokeswoman said a large area of the ground floor was damaged including the main stairwell. |
| She said the first and second floors had been smoke-logged. | She said the first and second floors had been smoke-logged. |