Four people managed to flee their homes during a fire after they were alerted by smoke alarms.

The blaze occurred on Wednesday (August 24) afternoon in Lots Road, Chelsea , and resulted in the road being closed off to traffic for a short while.

Four fire engines and 21 firefighters and officers were called to tackle the flames on the second floor of a three-storey terraced house.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) say the property was gutted by fire, while part of the roof a the neighbouring property’s roof were also damaged in the blaze.

The four adults left the property before firefighters arrived after hearing the alarms and seeing smoke.

Two people were treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation.

A spokesperson for the LFB said: “Yet again smoke alarms help saving lives.

“Our advice is to have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and the safest option is have the alarms linked together. This will give the earliest warning if there is a fire in your home.”

The brigade were called at 5.31pm and had the blaze under control shortly before 8pm.

Crews from Battersea, Kensington , Chelsea and Fulham fire stations attended.

The cause of the fire is believed to be a fault in a portable air conditioning unit.

Firefighters spent five hours tackling a blaze at a derelict house in Brent on Wednesday (August 24).