A PENSIONER was rushed to hospital with serious injuries after a blaze broke out in a house in Greenock last night.

Firefighters rushed to the scene of the fire at the ground floor mid-terraced property in Berwick Road at about 6.20pm.

Quick-thinking neighbours managed to rescue the 72-year-old resident before the emergency services arrived at the scene.

He was taken to Inverclyde Royal Hospital before being transferred to the burns unit at Glasgow Royal Infirmary where he remains in a serious condition.

Two fire crews from Gourock and one from Greenock spent 35 minutes tackling the fire before it was extinguished.

A probe is now under way to establish the cause of the blaze.

Detective Inspector David Wagstaff from Greenock CID said: “A 72-year-old man who is believed to the householder was rescued from the scene by neighbours.

“He was taken to Inverclyde Royal and then transferred to the burns unit at Glasgow Royal Infirmary where he remains in a serious condition.

“An investigation is being carried out to try to establish the cause of the fire.”