TWO passing police officers rescued a family of four from their smoke filled home early today.

PCs Dave Dutton and Claudio Faradella were on patrol in the Intack area just after midnight when they went to the fire in Surrey Road, Intack, Blackburn, and dragged the family out.

The fire is thought to have started after a chip pan was left on the oven and smoke detectors alerted the family who have not been named.

The mother dialled 999 from an upstairs bedroom and told fire officers that two children were also upstairs and a man was downstairs.

The police officers got to the house first and went in several times to get everyone out. Sub-officer Dave Hilliard, from Blackburn Fire Station, said he saw a man on the floor suffering from smoke inhalation and the two police officers were both gagging for breath.

He said: "The policemen did an excellent job and acted bravely but they put themselves in danger. Although the smoke wasn't that heavy, it had quickly filled the house. If the smoke had been dense from a foam filled settee they could have ended up as casualties themselves.

"The lady did the right thing by staying in the room, and the smoke detectors saved their lives."

Inspector Steve Ashley, of Blackburn Police, said: "The officers were very brave and we're very pleased with them. The family could have died if they hadn't been there."

Both the family and the police officers were taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary suffering from smoke inhalation.

There was severe fire, heat and smoke damage to the kitchen, and slight smoke damage to the rest of the house.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.