A pregnant woman was taken to hospital after fire broke out at her flat last night.

The blaze in St Alban's Close, Gravesend, started in the first floor lounge, but spread to a flat underneath and into the roof above.

The woman was not home at the time but her pets, two budgerigars, a canary and a cat, were inside the first floor flat after fire broke out in the lounge.

The blaze is thought to have been started by an unattended candle.

Three fire engines and an ambulance attended after being called at about 9.15pm.

The fire was out by 11pm.

The woman attempted to make her way in to check on her pets and suffered smoke inhalation as a result. The pets died in the fire.

Crews gave oxygen to the woman and she was taken to hospital by ambulance for further treatment.

Next door neighbour Natalie Spillett, 26, said this morning that when the woman, believed to be in her late 20s, was taken away she seemed upset but not badly hurt.

There had been a lot of smoke, flames were coming out of the window and headed up into the loft.

Firemen were forced to break through the roof to get to the fire. Tiles have been knocked through in two places.

Natalie said: “They were climbing up a ladder to the roof and I could see them throwing tiles down.”

Three other residents also evacuated their flats before crews arrived.

Thames-side Watch Manager, Ian Crouch, said: “Crews did an excellent job of preventing extensive damage to the ground floor flat and stopping the fire spreading to the neighbouring roof space.

"The first floor flat lounge was extensively damaged by fire. The lounge of the ground floor flat was affected as the fire had broken through to that property and the loft space of the neighbouring property suffered some smoke damage.

“If you are using candles in your home, do so with care. Keep them away from curtains and anything else that can easily catch fire and always extinguish them when you leave the room.

“Get in touch so we can give essential fire safety advice which is tailored to your home, needs and lifestyle."

Call 0800 9237000, email contact details to home@kent.fire-uk.org or visit www.saferwinter.info