A FAMILY of eight were pulled from their burning home by firefighters after becoming trapped by toxic fumes.

A six-month-old baby was passed through a window to paramedics as crews battled to rescue the family.

Three dogs were also saved as the remaining seven people, who were barricaded in a bedroom, were taken out of the front door by firefighters.

Fire control staff were able to stay on the line to the family after they rang 999, advising them to place blankets around the doorframe until crews could reach the property in Hill Crest, Stacksteads.

The blaze started in the kitchen at around 3.50am on Christmas Eve morning while the family was asleep.

Six children, aged 15, six, five, two, one, and the six-month-old, were taken to hospital as a precaution after inhaling smoke.

Fire chiefs praised the family’s actions after a working smoke alarm and closed doors prevented further damage to the house.

Dave Loney, from Bacup fire station, said: “This incident could have been considerably worse if the family had no working smoke alarms and had not done some quite basic, but vital actions, before retiring to bed.”

Two crews from Bacup and one from Rawtenstall spent more than an hour dealing with the blaze, which destroyed a cooker and caused smoke damage to the rest of the house.

He said: “It was a persons reported incident in that the family of eight were trapped within the property and were in need of rescue.

“On arrival, it was noted that the baby of the family, who was six-months-old, was being passed through the window by the mother to ambulance staff.

“Six crew members from Bacup and Rawtenstall entered the building wearing breathing apparatus and proceeded to search for the rest of the family.

“Each team member either carried or supported the family members out through the front door.

“The fire was relatively small in nature but generated a large amount of toxic smoke, however this was extinguished quickly by crews.

“ A fan was used to clear the property of smoke and the actions of the family prior to the incident occurring certainly negated the smoke passing through the property to cause significant damage.

“All of the family, mum, dad and the children, were transported to hospital for precautionary check-ups. There were also three dogs rescued from the fire unharmed.”

Neighbours of the family, who are believed to have moved to Rossendale from Liverpool in the last six months, said the street was crowded with emergency services through the early hours of the morning.

One neighbour, who lives in nearby Osbourne Terrace, said: “It was all go at about 4am. There were fire engines and ambulances everywhere.

“Naturally we were asleep but were woke up by the noise. They have only moved here recently and I know their children go to St Joseph’s [RC Primary School] round the corner.

“It’s a terrible thing to happen at Christmas and I just hope the damage isn’t too bad and no presents were destroyed for the young ones.”

The North West Ambulance Service said it received a call at 3.52am and arrived on the scene five minutes later.

A spokesman said: “We sent two rapid response vehicles, four ambulances and an advanced paramedic. All patients were taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital.”

On Wednesday afternoon, a workman from landlord Green Vale Homes was at the scene repairing a window that had been smashed during the rescue.