Trapped family escape rubbish fire at front door

Now concerned residents have asked Hastings council to solve the rubbish problem which may have caused the fire on Bohemia Road on Monday.

Steven and Maria Crosby and their two-year-old son Alex were asleep in their first and second floor maisonette when they became aware of the danger

Mr Crosby, 31, said: "We were really lucky. It could have been much worse.

"I have heard rumours of kids setting fire to rubbish in Hollington and I heard kids outside before I went to bed.

"But the real problem is leaving the rubbish on the already narrow pavement. It's not safe on any level. We should have rubbish bins."

It is believed the fire started when the rubbish outside their home caught fire.

The flames rapidly spread to the front door - the only means of escape - and the glass windows surrounding the door smashed due to the heat.

Mrs Crosby, 25, who is six months pregnant, awoke at 1.20am hearing strange noises coming from downstairs.

She said: "I went downstairs to the first floor and I could feel the heat, normally it is freezing. When I walked into the living room which is at the front, above the front door, I could see flames outside the window.

"That's how high they were. We didn't realise until later how close the fire came to burning through the floor into the lounge."

Mrs Crosby shouted to her husband to get up and he phoned 999. He said: "I could see rubbish burning all over the road and about 10 people shouting at us to get out. But we have two windows at the back of the house and one is a 30 foot drop, the other is a 25 foot drop. We were trapped. People had stopped their cars and were trying to pull the burning rubbish away from the flat. When I saw the fire brigade coming I ran down the stairs to the front door.

"The smoke was coming in under the door but when I heard the firemen on the other side I opened it and they grabbed me and took me outside.

"They then went in to get Maria and Alex."

Two fire crews from Bohemia fire station attended the scene and no one was seriously injured.

The family were taken to the Conquest Hospital, treated for smoke inhalation and released within an hour.

A spokesman for Hastings Borough Council said: "We were sorry to hear about the fire on Monday and glad no-one was hurt. We take residents concerns seriously and sell dustbins and wheelie bins, which are delivered free.

"First of all though, we would urge the householder to get in contact with us so we can help assess their individual needs.

"We would also not encourage putting rubbish out for collection until the morning.

"Our refuse team can be contacted on 781437."