A former Labour MP has praised the “hero” firefighter who rescued her after a blaze broke out in a block of flats.

Danielle Rowley praised the man who “managed to pull me out a window and get me down a ladder to safety” after the fire broke out in Leith Walk, Edinburgh.

A total of 11 people had to be rescued from their homes by ladder after heavy smoke filled the common stairwell in the building in the early hours of Sunday.

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Ms Rowley, who was the MP for Midlothian between 2017 and 2019, took to Twitter to thank the emergency services.

She tweeted: “So this was terrifying but we’re all okay.

“The biggest ever thank you to the amazing fire, ambulance and police officers who helped us – especially the fireman who managed to pull me out a window and get me down a ladder to safety.

“The word hero here isn’t an exaggeration.”

Two men were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after the blaze, while nine people were treated at the scene.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokeswoman said on Sunday: “Operations control mobilised a total of nine appliances to Leith Walk and firefighters safely removed 11 people from the building by ladder due to the presence of heavy smoke in the common stairwell.

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“The adults were found to be suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation, with seven women and two men treated at the scene and two remaining men transferred to hospital.

“Crews thereafter contained and extinguished the fire and left the scene at 3.35am after ensuring that the area had been made safe.”

After losing her seat in December’s general election, Ms Rowley is working as campaign manager for Emily Thornberry, one of the four MPs bidding to become the next UK Labour leader.