A FIRE broke out in a house in the early hours.

Fire crews from Brighton, Hove and West Sussex were called to the blaze in Leicester Villas, Hove, at 2.55am.

Four people were rescued from the burning building.

At 4.30am further crews from Newhaven, Barcombe and Roedean were called in to help put out the blaze.

Police and ambulance services joined them at the scene.

The Argus:

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) said all residents were evacuated safely. 

The roof of the house was destroyed and a cordon remains around the property this morning.

Karen Young, who lives nearby, witnessed the emergency services' response to the blaze.

She said: "I only saw from Portland Road when everything was underway.

"I was woken up by my son who was coming off a night shift.

"By the time I went to look, Portland Road and Leicester Villas were filled with emergency vehicles and fire crew.

"You could smell the smoke in the air."

The service's deputy chief fire officer, Mark O'Brien, said he was "incredibly proud of the combined efforts of ESFRS and ESFRS Fire Control at this incident in the early hours".

The Argus:

He added: "Fantastic support as ever from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, Sussex Police and the South East Coast Ambulance Service.

"Having attended the scene, I have no doubt lives were saved this morning."

The Argus: The aftermath of the fire this morningThe aftermath of the fire this morning

Shortly before 9am, ESFRS provided an update.

A spokeswoman said: "At 2:55am we were called to a fire at a residential property on Leicester Villas, Hove. 

"Eight appliances from Brighton, Hove, Roedean, Lewes, Barcombe, Newhaven and West Sussex attended the incident.

"Crews rescued four people from the property and they were handed over in to the care of SECAMB. 

"Crews have isolated gas and electrics to the property as a precaution. 

The Argus:

"Firefighters visited residents in the vicinity to offer both reassurance and Home Safety Visits.  

"As of 8:30am, we currently have two appliances on scene. 

"An Aerial Ladder Platform will be at the scene until Building Control can assess the building.  

"We would like to thank both SECAMB and Sussex Police for their support during the incident.

"The cause of the fire is not yet known and a Fire Investigation will take place in due course, once the building is deemed safe to enter."

Pictures by Karen Young