Man rescued from Belfast house fire by passers-by

Three men in their 20s rescued a man in his 50s from a house fire in Belfast early this morning.

The men were returning from a nightclub at about 3.30am when they saw smoke coming from the third story window of a house on Spencer Road in the city.

After forcing a door of the building open, the men made their way to the third floor where they found a man lying unconscious.

They managed to carry him downstairs before he was brought to hospital, where he is said to be suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.

Local police have praised the actions of the three, who all escaped uninjured.