'I SURVIVED BLAZEHORROR'.

Byline: By Gerry Holt South Wales Echo 

Residents have spoken for the first time of the terrifying moment they woke to find their block of flats filled with acrid, choking smoke after a television exploded in flames.

Eight people had to be rescued from the Pentwyn flats during the early morning drama.

Office junior Carley McLoughney, 22, who escaped, said: 'We knew we had to get out but we knew there were other people in the flats so we banged on the doors. It was very frightening.'

Meanwhile, it has emerged that fire doors in the block of flats which were wedged opened put lives at risk. 'People were coming down and out though the door choking and covered in soot': A woman has spoken of residents' dramatic escape from a smoke-logged block of flats after a television exploded in flames.

Carley McLoughney, 22, managed to escape from the three-storey building in Pentwyn, Cardiff, which became choked with acrid smoke after a fire door was wedged open.

She looked on in horror as eight neighbours, a pet dog and three cats were dramatically rescued by firefighters from Glyn Collen flats in the early hours of yesterday.

The office junior awoke about 2.15am to the sound of fire alarms, and said: 'I tried to get back to sleep, but then I heard screaming, 'No, no, no' and banging at the door. I just thought it was an argument, but my boyfriend jumped out of bed and shouted 'smoke'. It was everywhere.

'We knew we had to get out but we knew there were other people in the flats, so we banged on the doors and rang the buzzers. It was very frightening.'

Carley and her partner Chris Eggar, 25, reached safety but watched as firefighters from Cardiff Central and Roath fought to save residents from the first floor.

'People were coming downstairs and out through the door choking and covered in soot,' said Carley, whose has a had chest pains since the fire.

'It was very scary. You watch things like this on the TV but living it for real is just a nightmare.

'It could've been much worse if the girl [who's TV exploded] hadn't banged on our door.'

She added: 'When the fire door closes it locks and only one person has a key - that's why it was wedged open.'

Divisional fire officer Simon Morgan said: 'Fire doors are installed to reduce the spread of fire, heat and smoke. It is absolutely vital they are kept shut at all times.

'The fire in the first floor flat could have been easily contained, but because the doors in this block of flats were either damaged or wedged open, people's lives were put at risk.'

Carley, who praised firefighters and police, said: 'The damage to our flat is atrocious, there's no other way to describe it. We've got black all over the walls.'