TWO people were fortunate to escape with their lives after a fierce fire broke out in their home.

The couple, a farm worker and his wife, had to fight their way past flames to get out of the flat at Barngarth Farm, Detling, near Maidstone, after waking up to find a blaze had started in a tumble dryer.

Crews from Maidstone and Sittingbourne fire stations spent nearly two hours fighting the fire after arriving around 3am on Thursday.

Maidstone crew manager Mick Gay said the flat was left with around 80 per cent severe fire damage.

“Both of the people were out of the flat when we got there but were suffering from smoke inhalation.”

Mr Gay said people at the farm had tried fighting the fire with extinguishers and buckets before the brigade arrived.