FIRE crews were called to help a family whose sofa had caught fire in their house in New Park, Horrabridge last Thursday night.

The fire service received the call from the occupants of a two-storey, privately rented property, reporting that their sofa was on fire. Emergency personnel stayed on the phone to confirm all occupants — two adults, two children and a dog — were out of the property and an ambulance was also requested as they were believed to have smoke inhalation.

Crews extinguished the small fire in the sofa, believed to have started accidentally, using two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet and a positive pressure ventilation fan.

Both children, an 18-month old and a three month old, and their parents were left in the care of the paramedics.

Damage was confined to the ground floor living room only.