A HOME was evacuated after a car caught fire outside the house.

Emergency services were called to Cardinal Street, Burnley, at around 3pm today following the vehicle blaze.

Fire crews said the blaze had started due to a mechanical defect with the family vehicle and was described as an accidental fire.

The house had to be evacuated after radiant heat from the car began to ignite the door and window frames of the owner's home, a fire spokesman said.

The fire came after the owner had routinely started the car up when leaving the house this afternoon, crews said.

After receiving the call moments later they arrived to find the fire had 'taken hold of the vehicle' despite the short mile trip from Burnley Fire Station to Cardinal Street.

Damian Hartley, watch manager for Burnley Fire Station, said: "Because the vehicle was parked at the side of the terraced property it had started to take effect the double glazed front door and downstairs of the house. It also caused a pane of glass to break."

No one was reported injured and the rest of the house escaped damage.