A WOMAN unable to escape from a house fire in Taunton was given "survival guidance" over the phone while fire crews rushed to the scene.

A 999 call was made reporting a fire in an upstairs bedroom of a rented terraced house in Greenway Avenue shortly after 1.30pm yesterday (Wednesday, August 3).

Fire control was informed that there were two adults and two children inside, although three of them managed to get out before firefighters arrived on the scene in two fire engines from Taunton and one from Bridgwater.

A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said: "Fire control stayed on the phone giving fire survival guidance to keep them (the woman) in a place of safety until our first crew from Taunton arrived on scene, whereby they were rescued from a first floor bedroom window by a firefighter guiding the adult female down a ladder to a place of safety."

Four firefighters entered the building and discovered the fire was actually on the ground floor and started tackling the flames.

A further two fire engines were sent from Wellington.

It emerged that the fire had started accidentally after a candle was left unattended.

The spokesperson said the ground floor was "severely damaged by fire", while there was "heavy smoke damage" upstairs.

The four occupants all suffered from smoke inhalation and were left in the care of ambulance paramedics.

The woman who was rescued was taken to hospital.

READ MORE: Woman rescued from house fire in Taunton.