TWO brothers rescued their disabled sisters and four-year-old sibling from a serious house fire in Blackburn, neighbours said.

The family-of-seven were at home in East Park Road, near Winston Road, when the blaze broke out at about 10.15pm on Monday.

Shocked residents told how the family managed to escape the burning building as firefighters raced to the scene.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The eldest son, a 21-year-old and his brother, 19, managed to get their sisters – aged 18 and 16 – and four-year-old brother out of the house.

READ: 'The fire service did such a good job, risking their lives to save other people's' - Major house fire in Blackburn

The fire is believed to have started in the top bedroom of the property, where the sisters and the youngest son were sleeping.

The family realised something was wrong when they heard the girls screaming.

Neighbour Medina Patel said the two eldest brothers carried the three younger siblings to safety before the 21-year-old man went back into the house.

He could not escape and was forced to jump from the top floor to safety, suffering burns to his feet, arms and back.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Mrs Patel said: “The family's children were at our house last night and we helped them as they were all shocked and scared after the fire. The eldest son jumped from the window. He's at Preston Hospital.

"It was a beautiful house. It's like a palace inside. The lady next door was so overwhelmed to see her roof on fire she fainted.”

"There were so many people at our house last night and we had blankets out to make the girls feel better before the ambulance arrived. But after an hour we had to leave too. We went to my sister's.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Cllr Hussain Akhtar, for Shear Brow and Corporation Park, said: "I heard the fire engines, it's a two-minute walk from my house. I went there right away. 

"People were outside, all the neighbours. I asked one if anyone was inside and they said, no, they got out. 

"We are very sad about it. It was a very big fire. The fire service did such a good job, risking their own lives to save other people's lives.

"I want to say thank you to everyone. Everyone was there from about 10pm, for nearly eight hours. 

"They did their job so fantastically well. They came so quickly. They managed to put the fire out and we are so thankful everyone is safe. 

“We know the family is very sad and upset."

Lancashire Telegraph:

Lancashire Fire Service released a statement this morning: It reads: "Six fire engines from Blackburn, Hyndburn and Darwen, and an aerial ladder platform from Preston attended a house fire on East Park Avenue, Blackburn.

"Firefighters used four breathing apparatus and two hose reels to extinguish the fire. Firefighters are still at the scene on Tuesday morning where they are damping down and beginning the fire investigation.

"Paramedics were called to treat people who were inside the house."

One man said: "The father is a close friend of mine. I was so shocked I couldn't sleep. I don't think anyone did. It started iftar time and was going on till Sehri time.

"It was massive and there was an ambulance just outside my house. They have five kids and two of them were injured during the fire. I heard they were upstairs when it started. We are a close community so it was upsetting to see. There were lots of people screaming."

READ: Live updates from scene of serious house fire in Blackburn

One neighbour said: "I was asleep but I heard a lot of screaming. There were loads of fire crews out and everyone was outside.

Another said: "We all know each other around here so we were all out comforting each other. I didn't see anything but the fire brigades out and smoke. All I heard was a bang."