A FAMILY of six had to be rescued from a second-floor flat after a fire started in the kitchen.

FIREFIGHTER has said that a family of six, including a seven-month-old baby, was saved by a smoke alarm after their kitchen caught fire early yesterday morning.

Two adults, a baby and three children aged seven, 10 and 17 had to be rescued from a blazing second-floor flat in Connaught Avenue, Frinton.

Frinton fire station officer Mark Oxley said: “The fire had started in the kitchen where a pan had been left unattended on the cooker hob and was smouldering. Neighbours heard the smoke alarm sounding and called the fire service.

“Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and brought the family out to safety from the heavily smoke-logged flat. Smoke alarms provide you with that vital early indication to a fire giving you time to escape to safety and away from the toxic smoke which quickly fills the home in a fire.”

Firefighters from Frinton and Clacton were called to the flat, which is above the Sue Ryder Care charity shop, at 12.20am and used two hose reels to battle the flames.

Lee Palfreyman, group commander for the retained firefighters in Frinton, said: “The family had to be kept at the back of the flat while the fire was being tackled because it would have been too dangerous to try to get them out.

“Once the crews had got the fire under control, four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were able to lead them safely through the flat.

“The kitchen was well alight when we arrived and the fire had just started to spread through to the roof area which would have made the situation much more serious.”

An ambulance and three rapid response vehicles attended the scene and took one woman and three children to Colchester General Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

All of the casualties were conscious when the emergency services arrived.

The fire was out by 1.17am and a thermal imaging camera was used to check for any remaining hotspots.

Mr Oxley said the incident demonstrated the importance of a working smoke alarm and urged people to make sure they had a working alarm.

For a home fire safety visit telephone the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service on 0845 6012495.