A FAMILY had a lucky escape after a fire broke out in their kitchen and filled their home with smoke.

The parents and their children got out of their house in Rayfield, Epping, after the fire started at 2.20am today.

Fire crews from Epping and Ongar were called to the blaze and extinguished it by 3.15am.

Kevin Smith, sub officer at Ongar fire station said: “The family were in bed when the fire broke out in the kitchen.

“They heard their smoke alarm and went downstairs to discover the fire.

“They immediately fled from the house in their pyjamas into the safety of their garden.

“When the crews arrived at the incident, the family were already out of the property and were unharmed.

“Crews then entered the house wearing breathing apparatus and extinguished the fire in the kitchen.

“The family had done exactly the right thing and before they went to bed, they had closed the kitchen door so the fire was contained.”

The fire is believed to have been started by an electrical fault.