A TEENAGER escaped with his life by scrambling out of a window after he awoke to a fire engulfing his room this morning.

Simon Tomlinson

A TEENAGER escaped with his life by scrambling out of a window after he awoke to a fire engulfing his room this morning.

The 19-year-old, called Theo, was sleeping in a converted garage at a friend's house in Tuddenham Road, Ipswich, when the blaze took hold at around 5am.

He awoke to a blanket of thick smoke and climbed out of a window to escape the flames.

His friend, who was asleep downstairs in the house which is connected to the garage, was also woken and called the emergency services while battling with the smoke and fumes.

Upstairs, however, the owner of the house Alison Linton and her boyfriend were unaware of the unfolding drama and were only woken when firefighters arrived and rushed them out of the house.

There were six people in the house, including a seven-year-old boy who said he was very scared by the experience.

Ms Linton said: “Theo could hardly see and climbed out of the window. He could have died. We all could have died.”

Fire crews said the fire had been started when a tea light burnt through on to a stereo.

The fire filled the house with smoke which had blackened the walls and carpets throughout.

Ms Linton was today trying to start the clean-up process.

She added: “It is absolutely awful. I think we need to get in some cleaners. Everywhere you touch is disgusting.

“I don't know where to start and I have got a blinding headache. But I am so glad no-one was hurt because it could have been a lot worse.”

- Earlier three fire crews, two from the Princes Street fire station and one from Colchester Road, were called to a cooker fire in a ground floor flat in Chesterton Close, Ipswich, just before 1.45am today.

The fire was under control just after 2.10am.