The fire service was called to extinguish two fires that broke out in Nicosia on Wednesday night.

According to fire department spokesman, Andreas Kettis, the first fire broke out around 10.30pm in a two-storey house in Strovolos and the service responded with two fire trucks to put it out.

As a result of the fire the first floor of the house, which was used as a warehouse and parking lot, suffered extensive damage.

The upper floor of the house was also damaged by the smoke and heat.

The elderly owner of the house was taken by relatives to the emergency department of the Nicosia general hospital.

The second fire broke out shortly after 11pm on the first floor of a four-storey abandoned apartment building on Digeni Akrita Avenue.

The fire service rescued two people from the building who were taken by ambulance to Nicosia general hospital.

The building suffered extensive damages from the fire.

The scenes are cordoned off and police investigations are underway to establish the causes of the two fires.