A FAMILY were forced to escape their home when fire broke out in a bedroom.

Firefighters from Medway and Chatham were called to the blaze in Ordnance Street, Chatham, at about 6.40pm, on Tuesday.

The fire, thought to have been caused by an electrical fault, completely destroyed the first floor bedroom but the occupants had managed to get out of the terrace house in time.

As they made their way to the scene, firefighters believed the family could be trapped in the building.

When they arrived, however, they realised they had escaped safely.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: "Initially, we received the call as persons trapped in the home but, upon arrival, we saw that the family had managed to get out of the property.

"The fire was in the front bedroom and the flames broke one of the windows.

"After putting the fire out we removed the bedroom furniture into the front garden. We were at the scene for a good hour and a half.

"There were no suspicious circumstances. We believe the fire may have been started via an electrical fault."

A student from St John Fisher school saw the blaze from her mother’s car.

She said: "My mum was driving down the road and had to turn round because it had been blocked off. There were two fire engines, a few police cars and an ambulance."