Four people were taken to hospital after a house fire at a barracks early this morning.

Firefighters were called out to Invicta Park, off Royal Engineers’ Way, Maidstone, just after 3.10am and eight fire engines were needed.

Crews were at the scene for more than five hours, wearing breathing apparatus and using hose reel jets to extinguish the flames.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “Four people were passed into the care of SECAmb paramedics and taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation.”

Fire crews were at the scene until just after 8.20am.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence told KentOnline: “We can confirm that there was an incident overnight, however we are unable to give any further detail at this stage.”