FIREFIGHTERS have been called to a kitchen fire at a property in Pontardawe this morning.

The family were woken by their smoke alarm, which alerted them to a small fire in the kitchen.

The fire was extinguished before crew members from Morriston and Pontardawe arrived, who were called to the scene at 7.15am.

Before leaving, crew members made the cooker safe and ventilated the property and carried out hot strike.

The family were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Swansea Community Safety Watch Manager, Derick Ford, who attended the incident, said: “It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to have a working smoke alarm in your home.

“Fires in homes with a working smoke alarm are likely to be discovered more quickly than those without, and allow occupants more time to escape from their property.

“A working smoke alarm really can make the difference between life and death”.

Residents can request a home fire safety check for themselves or a dependent relative contacting the Service on 0800 169 1234.

A home fire safety check only takes about 30 minutes to complete and is undertaken by two Fire Service representatives.

A home fire safety check consists of installing a 10 year smoke alarm on each level of the home.

To further protect yourselves; home owners are advised to switch unused appliances off, close all doors as a part of their bed time routines, and to plan your escape in the event of a fire occurring at their property.