AN ELDERLY woman rescued from a house fire on Tuesday remained in a critical condition in hospital last night.

Firefighters found the 77-year-old on the first floor of a burning two-storey terrace on Bryngwyn Road, Six Bells, Abertillery, around 7.30am on Tuesday, after a fire in the kitchen area on the ground floor spread to an adjoining property.

A 78-year-old man, who residents say is the woman’s husband, was also initially taken to Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, but both were moved to Morriston Hospital in Swansea later on Tuesday. The man was in a stable condition as the Argus went to press.

Gwent Police confirmed the fire was not being treated as suspicious, following results from a South Wales Fire and Rescue investigation team, who were at the site for several hours following the blaze. but its cause has not yet been revealed.

Local Blaenau Gwent councillor Mark Holland, who lives on Bryngwyn Road, said: “I’m very sad that these people have had to experience something like this. I would often see the gentleman walking his dog and I send my regards to him and his wife. Get well soon please.”

Two hose reel jets were used to put out the flames, and four nearby houses were also evacuated following the fire.

Neighbour David Edwards, 26, said: “I saw a fire engine fly past my window this morning so I went to see what was going on. It was unbelievable. There was smoke everywhere and it was quite a big fire. I’ve never seen a house fire like that to be honest.”

Three fire engines from Abertillery, Blaina, and Brynmawr attended the fire, and a stop message was sent at 9.27am.

A Welsh Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 7.36am to reports of a fire at a property on Bryngwyn Road in Abertillery. Two rapid response vehicles and two emergency ambulances attended, and a man in a stable condition and a woman in a serious condition were taken to Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny.”