The Abbotsford fire department is crediting a trio of quick thinking neighbours for making sure an apartment fire didn't get out of control on Saturday night.

Abbotsford Fire Rescue crews were called out to the complex at 33480 on George Ferguson Way at 9:14 p.m., said Deputy Fire Chief Mike Helmer.

Crews arrived to find neighbours had put out a kitchen fire on the first floor, said Helmer.

A woman who lived upstairs from the suite where the fire started heard a smoke detector go off in the apartment below.

She went to investigate and knocked on the door of the suite after smelling smoke.

Getting no response, she knocked on another male neighbour's door.

A third man who was also concerned joined the pair.

The two men went outside and looked through the patio window where they saw a woman in the kitchen and the stove on fire, said Helmer.

The two men entered through the patio door and dampened the pot fire on the burner with a plate and put out the rest of the flames with an extinguisher from the hallway.

The resident of the suite involved was treated for smoke inhalation at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and later released.

The neighbours helped prevent a larger tragedy and will be commended for their intervention, said Helmer.

"Sometime this week we're going to give them a certificate of recognition to thank them for their actions."

"They did all the right things."