Two people escaped from a burning house by breaking a window - while a woman had to be coaxed out by police officers.

Fire site - rescued furniture is piled in the garden of the burnt out building. Picture: STEPHANIE MACKRILL (18863-a)

A further two people walked out unaided from the house in the Causeway, Maldon.

It is believed the blaze, which started at 12.40am yesterday morning, was caused by a candle falling over in a bedroom.

A confused woman had been rescued by neighbours but went back into the house. Sgt Stewart Gason and PC Alex Black persuaded her to come out.

It took firefighters two crews from Maldon and one crew from South Woodham Ferrers with breathing apparatus just over an hour to put out the blaze, which a fire spokesperson said damaged 90 per cent of the ground floor.

The five people who were in the house at the time were said to be suffering from smoke inhalation and were taken to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford. Two of those were being treated for serious lacerations on their hands after breaking a window to escape.

The woman and three other residents who occupied bedsits in the house are homeless today. A guest was also in the property at the time.

Published Monday December 17, 2001