A FAMILY had to be rescued from their blazing home in Westcliff.

Fire crews from Leigh and Southend were called to the house in Fairmead Avenue shortly after 4am yesterday.

The family, consisting of 50-year-old woman and two men aged 43 and 18, were rescued by firefighters who carried them from their home and treated for them for smoke inhalation.

They were given oxygen by firefighters at the scene before being taken to Southend Hospital by ambulance.

The blaze was extinguished by 4.30am.

Al Green, sub-officer for Leigh fire station’s white watch, said the house had become dangerously filled with toxic smoke.

Mr Green said: “It was a small fire, which did leave the house heavily smoke-logged.

“It was not too tricky for us to tackle the blaze and it was a case of there was much more smoke than there were flames.

“The cause of the fire is going to be investigated, but we believe it was probably an accident.”

Ken Baker, who lives opposite the scene of the fire, was woken up by the drama. He said: “It was just before 4.30am when I heard a load of commotion outside my house and I thought ‘what on earth is going on’”.

“I looked out of the window and saw two fire engines outside my neighbours. The firefighters seemed to have everything under control by the time I was woken and most of the smoke had seemed to have gone as well.”

Following hospital treatment, the family were allowed to return to their house and are said to be in “good health”.