The casualty was overcome by smoke as he attempted to put out the blaze with a garden hose.
More than 30 firefighters were dispatched to the incident at its height with crews spending several hours putting out the fire at Green Lane, on the outskirts of Dalston.
It is believed builders were working on the property before the fire broke out, at about 10.30am.
The owner of the cottage escaped unhurt but a worker was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, though he was not thought to have been seriously injured.
An eyewitness, who was diverting traffic away from the scene, said: “We were all trying to fight the fire in the thatch but were overcome by smoke.”
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