A TEENAGER is in hospital with severe burns after being rescued from a house fire.

The 19-year-old and his brother, aged 20, were both hurt in the blaze at their home in Albert Street, Shildon, County Durham, this morning.

The brothers had been upstairs when the fire started in a first floor, back bedroom of the mid-terraced property.

Emergency services were called just after 7am and when a fire and rescue crew from Bishop Auckland arrived at the scene, just six minutes after the 999 call, the pair were making their way downstairs to try to get out of the house.

Fire fighters rescued them and the youngest, most seriously hurt of the pair was taken by ambulance to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

He was originally heading to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough but was rerouted to the RVI, which has a specialist burns unit.

The 20-year-old was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital with minor burns.

An older woman, believed to be related to the pair, was sleeping downstairs when it started and escaped with the minor effects of smoke inhalation.

She also travelled to hospital but it is not known whether this was for treatment or to accompany one of the injured men.

A neighbour said: “It’s awful, really frightening. I’m pretty sure they only moved in a few days ago.”

Detective Sergeant Peter Lonsdale, of Bishop Auckland CID, said: “A joint police and fire investigation will now take place, examination of the scene will be carried out on Saturday once the building is safe.”

Robin Turnbull, group manager with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, said the first appliance from Bishop Auckland was soon joined at the incident by a crew from Newton Aycliffe.

Two fire fighters with breathing apparatus entered the house to search for occupants and find the fire, then using a specialist fan and hose reel the fire was extinguished in around 20 minutes.

A third appliance from Spennymoor was mobilised but was not needed upon arrival.

Crews returned to the scene around lunchtime as a precaution, to ensure the property was cooling down and a secondary fire had not started in the loft.

He said: “Both men had to be rescued and escorted out of the house, they were coming down the staircase when we arrived but needed help to get out of the door.

“We know one of the men had significant burns, whilst the other had relatively minor burns.”

Fire service personnel have been visiting homes in the area today offering safety and wellbeing checks and advice.