Seven taken to hospital after blaze rips through Rugeley house
Seven people have been taken to hospital after a severe fire ripped through a house in Rugeley in the early hours of the morning.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service sent six fire engines and an aerial ladder platform to Cross Road early on Saturday.
They said seven casualties were checked over by ambulance crews and taken to hospital.
Their injuries are not believed to be life threatening or life changing.
People in the area of Cross Road were urged to keep their windows and doors shut due to significant amounts of smoke from the blaze.
Neighbours described waking up to see the house ablaze and have spoken of their shock.
A woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said firefighters had been at the scene for several hours and the road was cordoned off.
She said: "It was about 3.20am when I heard some noise.
"I opened the curtains and the house was up in flames.
"I called 999 and they said someone had rung them already. I said there were children in the house. It was horrendous. How it happened I don't know. I didn't see anything suspicious.
"It's astonishing they all managed to get out. I'm just glad they are alright."
Another neighbour, who also did not want to be named, said: "I was out at the time but a neighbour rang me to tell me about the fire.
"I came straight back and when I got here they were in ambulances being whisked away."
The fire service was called at about 3.15am and crews from Cannock, Chase Terrace, Brewood, Stafford, Rising Brook and Burton attended, along with police officers who closed off the road.
Three main jets, two hose reel jets and an aerial ladder platform were used to safely extinguish the blaze.
Crews from Rising Brook and Tutbury attended shortly after 7.30am after six crews departed the scene.
Station Manager Leigh Richards, who attended the incident, said: “Firefighters have worked diligently at the scene to mitigate the spread of the fire to neighbouring properties."
He said gas and electric supplies within the area were isolated.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said investigations into the cause of the blaze are ongoing.
