A WOMAN was rescued from a first floor bedroom after a fire broke out in her home.

Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus managed to free the 40-year-old from the property in Hazelwood Road, Walthamstow, at around 11.50pm last night (Monday July 19).

She was then taken to Whipps Cross Hospital suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.

A man also managed to escape the flames before the emergency services arrived.

Two fire crews took just under an hour to extinguish the blaze, which partly damaged the first floor of the building.

One resident said they had been told by crews at the scene that the fire may have been started by an electrical fault, but a full investigation has been launched into its cause.

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "We were all woken up by all the police and ambulances but you couldn't see it was a fire until they opened the upstairs windows, then suddenly all this black smoke came pouring out.

"There were so many firemen in the way I couldn't see them helping the woman out but she walked into the ambulance so I don't think she was too badly hurt."