Seven teenagers at a sleepover fled to safety when fire broke out in a bedroom.
One 16-year-old girl suffered the effects of smoke but none of the children were hurt.
Firefighters were called to the terraced house in Freshfield Road, Brighton, shortly after 3am today.
A candle set fire to the curtains and the room quickly filled with smoke. Fumes reached all rooms.
All the youngsters, in their early teens, and two adults fled to the street.
A fire brigade spokesman said: "Smoke detectors were triggered and the youngsters and adults did all the right things."
A portable TV and other property was destroyed.
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