A SAUCEPAN sparked a blaze at a flat in Ipswich today.

The fire broke out at the home in Pearse Way in Purdis Farm at around noon.

Two crews from Princes Street and another from Colchester Road fire stations were alerted after reports of people inside the property.

They discovered the first-floor flat smoke logged and traced the source of the flames to a saucepan on a cooker in the kitchen.

A spokesman for the fire brigade said all persons were accounted for and the fire was brought under control quickly before crews ventilated the property.