A 13-YEAR-OLD girl is fighting for her life after being trapped in a house blaze.

The youngster had to be resuscitated by paramedics after firefighters carried her to safety from her burning Hastings home early today.

A man and a woman with a baby escaped from the wrecked house.

The girl, who has not been named, suffered serious burns and smoke inhalation. She is critically ill in intensive care at Guys Hospital in London.

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More than 20 firemen were called to tackle the fierce blaze in Emmanuel Road, Hastings, which started at around 3am.

It is the second fire in the street in four days.

Three fire crews from Hastings and one from Bexhill were forced to use a back door to get into the three-storey terraced home after failing to smash down two front doors.

They had to go through a neighbour's house to reach the rear of the burning building.

Once inside, firemen battled through intense heat to find the girl, trapped in a rear bedroom.

They carried her to safety.

Assistant Divisional Officer Bill Short said: "It was incredibly ferocious in there. I am flabbergasted by the damage caused by the intense heat.

"The fire started on the ground floor but we think it flashed up the stairs.

"We could not gain entry through the front. We just couldn't break down the doors. In the end we went through a next-door house and broke down the back door.

"The firemen had to do some major firefighting at the foot of the stairs just to reach the girl. They did a great job."

Apolice investigation has been launched into the blaze, which is believed to have started in a ground-floor bathroom.

Det Sgt Trevor Bates said: "At the moment we believe the fire was accidental."

At 2.30am on Friday, smoke was seen pouring from the basement of another house in Emmanuel Road. Police are treating the fire as arson.

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