A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation following a blaze at a Cowley locksmiths.

The electrical fire broke out at the newly-refurbished BMA Varsity Ltd locksmiths in Oxford Road in the early hours of Saturday.

Firefighters were called to the scene just before 3am after reports of a fire in the ground floor of the building.

Station manager Simon Belcher said 15 firefighters tackled the blaze.

He said: “We believe the fire began in the fuse box and had been going for some time when we arrived but thanks to the public and residents for raising the alarm as soon as they could.

“The firefighters went in with breathing apparatus and made sure there was nobody in the building. We worked with Southern Electric to isolate the electrics.”

Mr Belcher said there was an extensive amount of smoke damage to the property. He said an investigation had been carried out and the fire wasn’t thought to be suspicious.

Karen Kawawada, 38, who lives two doors down with her husband and two children, said her four-year-old daughter had to be taken to hospital after becoming ill outside.

She said: “At around 3am the firefighters came to tell us we should leave the property. My daughter had to go to hospital but was ok in the end.”