Five rescued from burning flats in Bedford

30 May 2012, 11:41 | Updated: 30 May 2012, 11:56

Two children and two adults have been rescued from a first floor flat after the one next door caught fire in Bedford this morning.

Fire crews were called at around 5.20am to St Michael's Road in Bedford to find a first floor flat was well alight to the rear of the building.

As flames began spread to adjacent flats, firefighters using a hydraulic platform began rescuing a family of four from a neighbouring flat.  Crews saved two children and two adults from a first floor window.

Neil Thompson from Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue told Heart: "At its' height, more than 30 firefighters and officers were at the scene with a number of firefighters using breathing apparatus to get inside the building.

Crews also managed to rescue a woman from the flat in which the fire started - she was given oxygen before being given over to the care of paramedics."

Mr Thompson added: "Crews reported extensive damage to the building where smoke and fire damaged spread from the first to second floors and into the roof space of the building. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway and fire crews remain at the scene to continue damping down the affected area of the building."