An investigation has been launched after a fire started in the porch of a family home.
Firefighters refused to rule out arson as the cause of the blaze in Warren Drive, Ifield, Crawley.
A middle aged couple and their son, aged around 10, managed to escape unharmed but were all taken by ambulance to the New East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, Surrey, for smoke inhalation treatment.
Firefighter Leigh Beynon, of Crawley Fire Station, was praised for his heroics after he rescued the family's pet dog and tortoise from an upstairs bedroom.
The fire was reported at 3.30am today.
Three fire crews were sent to tackle the blaze which had begun to spread from the porch and had completely filled the house with thick smoke.
A crew member said: "We don't know what the cause was yet, we will have to wait for the investigation to be carried out."
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