A FAMILY cheated death when a gas explosion ripped through their home.

Fire crews were called to Mitchell Street, Burnley, at around 6.30pm yesterday after neighbours heard a loud bang and saw the house in flames.

Michelle Poole and children, Carla, 11, Sophie, 9, and Jessica, nine-months, managed to get out without injury, as did Michelle's friend Shaun, who was visiting the family at the time.

Firefighters took 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Firefighter John Rivett later emerged from the property carrying the family's pet hamster, who he handed over to the relieved children.

Shaun, who didn't want to give his last name, said: " I heard a huge bang and suddenly saw flames everywhere. I could hear a hissing noise coming from the meter cupboard and realised it must be gas so I knew we had to get out of the house quickly.

"As soon as we got outside the heat from the fire blew all the windows out. Although it doesn't seem like it now I suppose we were all really lucky to get out."

Burnley fire station sub officer Glen Barrett thought the family had a lucky escape.

He said: "There is 100 per cent fire damage downstairs, and upstairs the damage is severe. Basically the house has been gutted by the heat and smoke. They have really lost everything.

"Flames were coming out of all the windows when we arrived and it was the heat that will have shattered all the glass."

Although no one was seriously injured, the children and neighbours were complaining of sore eyes as a result of the smoke.

The gas company Transco was on stand-by to enter the property to make sure it was safe for the family to recover any possessions which were not lost and safe for neighbours to return to their own properties.