Three children have been killed and two others severely burned in an horrific house fire in Hutton, near Brentwood.

A brave neighbour tried in vain to battle through the flames to rescue the family of five from the maisonette in Tollesbury Court, Woodlands Avenue.

The mother, aged 32, and one of her children were seen at the first-floor window when firefighters arrived at 1am today.

Heather Bedford, a neighbour of the victims, was woken up when fumes and smoke began filtering through her open bedroom window.

She said today: "You read about this sort of thing in the newspapers but when it is someone so close to you, you just cannot believe it. My daughter was always over there with the children.

"The firefighters have been marvellous. One was even crying. They are devastated."

The entire building was gutted and most of the windows shattered in the intense heat. The mother of the five children escaped through a first-floor window and was taken to Basildon Hospital with severe burns, along with her two surviving youngsters.

The three other children were pronounced dead at the scene. The children in the house were four boys and one girl, aged between five and 12.

The two children have been transfered to Great Ormond Street and Guy's hospitals in serious conditions, while their mother remains at Basildon Hospital.

A senior firefighter praised the actions of the neighbour who desperately tried to save the family.

Brentwood fire station commander Martin Powell said Robert Leach, 28, used a builder's ladder to reach an upstairs window. He said: "He did a brilliant job, there was just too much heat and too much smoke.

"We sent in a breathing apparatus crew round the back of the house and they quickly located the five children.

"They were all upstairs but were not in the same place. They were given medical attention by fire officers but three were pronounced dead at the scene."

Mr Leach said: "I was helping to try to get them out, trying to find a way in. I hurt my hand trying to get through the door. The mother came round to our flat. She was out first and was in a real state."

A green tarpaulin covered the ground floor early today as the emergency services begun their investigation.

Dave Warren, assistant divisional officer for Essex Fire and Rescue, said: "One child was rescued from a first-floor window and four children were rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus."

A joint Essex Fire and Rescue Service and Essex Police investigation was launched today to find the cause of the fire.

Names of the family members cannot be released until the next of kin have been informed of the deaths.

Bob Wallace, the Rector of Hutton, comforted friends and neighbours of the family at the scene.

"Obviously they are suffering from sheer shock, particularly those who knew the family.

"I don't know how long the family have been here but neighbours who have children that play together automatically make it a close-knit community. This morning people are feeling sheer shock for the deaths of the children,'' he said.

Horror - a ladder leans against the window of the maisonette in which three children died

Picture: NICK ANSELL

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