A FAMILY escaped a kitchen blaze thanks to their smoke alarms as thick black smoke poured out of their front door.

Firefighters were called to a bungalow in Arne Court, Laindon yesterday at 9pm and crews from Basildon and Rayleigh Weir attended.

An air fryer had caught alight in the kitchen and while a neighbour attempted to put out the blaze with an extinguisher, thick black smoke continued to pour out of the front door.

Essex Fire Service crew manager Philippe Pitts-Webster said: "A neighbour had tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher but thick black smoke was still coming out of the front door.

"Crews extinguished the fire and cleared the smoke.

"Thankfully the family had an early warning and got out safely because they had a smoke alarm in the kitchen; incidents like this really show the importance of having working smoke alarms."

The damage was mainly limited to the kitchen, although smoke did spread through the bungalow. 

Firefighters left the scene shortly after 10pm.