MEMBERS of a family had to flee their home after a fire in their shed spread to their house.

The blaze, in Bridge Road at Rochester, was caused by a discarded cigarette.

The family, a man, his sister and his mother, who is in her 60s, had been alerted by a smoke detector.

Strood Fire Station sub-officer Lawrence Pater said: "They had a lucky escape. But we would warn people to dispose of their smoking materials carefully. Other fires caused by discarded cigarettes have been fatal."

Firefighters were called to the blaze at about 5.45am on Sunday. The man had thrown a cigarette out of a window and crews believe it had ignited a pile of rubbish next to the shed.

The fire engulfed the shed and then began spreading into the back of the house which is just a metre-and-a-half away.

The flames destroyed a rear window and reached inside the rear lounge, licking into the curtains and scorching the wallpaper.

Mr Pater said: "The flames had also gone up to the height of the house and damaged the roof guttering and fascia. Smoke spread through the whole property and it was lucky the family had a smoke detector, which raised the alarm."

Eight firefighters in two engines, one from Medway and one from Strood, attended the blaze and two crew members wearing breathing apparatus went inside to tackle it.

The family had escaped unharmed but the man suffered smoke inhalation and was given oxygen at the scene by an ambulance crew.

The shed was completely destroyed and the rear lounge had 10 per cent fire damage.