A CARELESSLY discarded cigarette is thought to have started a barn fire in Chatteris on Friday evening, that left a 20-year-old woman suffering from smoke inhalation.

Four fire crews and a water carrier were called to the site in Doddington Road at about 6.30pm, where they were met with a barn and storage area well alight, and smoke drifting towards horses.

Four fire fighters using breathing apparatus tackled the blaze with two jets and two hose reels and one hydrant, and cooled down some propane cylinders.

Crews from Chatteris, Manea, March and Ramsey, along with a water carrier from Yaxley attended. The fire was in a barn and storage area measuring 10m by 8m.

An ambulance was required for a 20-year-old woman who was checked over after suffering from smoke inhalation, but she was not taken to hospital.

Crews returned to their stations by 10pm.

A fire service spokesman said: “Smoking materials when not discarded properly can quickly cause fires both inside and outside buildings.

“We would urge people to always extinguish cigarettes properly and never leave a lit cigarette unattended.”