SIX people escaped after a fire broke out at a house today. 

There had been fears that someone may have been trapped in the house on Ormerod Street, Accrington.

However it emerged that six people had already got out of the house with the help of a passer-by before firefighters arrived.

One of the six was taken to hospital by ambulance, suffering from the effects of breathing smoke. 

The blaze broke out in a first floor bedroom of the house at around 4.15pm. 

Plumes of smoke could be seen coming from a house.

Two fire engines from Hyndburn and one crew from Blackburn attended the fire. 

An eyewitness said: "My mum and sister live on the street.

"I had to get my mum out of the house and as I went to my mum's, the whole upstairs window was going up in flames and there was black smoke and all the street was smokey."

A fire service spokesman said: "Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus used a hosereel jet to extinguish a fire in a first floor bedroom.

"The cause of the fire is to be established."