Family's lucky escape

The father awoke as the fire started and was able to lead the rest of his family to safety out of a bedroom window on to a flat roof and then down to the ground.

Police are appealing for information about the attack which happened in the early hours of Wednesday morning at the home of the Smithson family at 27 Rocks Park Road, Uckfield. It is understood that police are looking into the possibility that a flamable solution was poured through the letterbox.

There was fire damage in the hall and extensive smoke damage to the stairwell and in the bedrooms.

Sub officer Ian Ritchie from Uckfield fire station said the family members very lucky to escape with their lives. There were two smoke detectors in the house but no batteries in them. If the father had not woken there could have been serious consequences.

Sub officer Ritchie said they received a call to the fire at 1.50am and were told people were trapped inside the building. Then on the way they heard the family had escaped on to a balcony where they were waiting for help.

By the time the fire service arrived the parents and three children aged 10, 14 and 16 were safe on the ground. Father Mr Smithson did not want to talk about the family's ordeal afterwards.

Sub officer Ritchie stressed the importance of people installing smoke detectors in their homes if they did not already have them and said it was vital they were then maintained and the batteries replaced regularly.