Fire investigators at the scene of the blaze in Kingsley Avenue, Dartford

A man has been arrested after a suspected arson attack on a family home early this morning.

The 55-year-old man is in police custody following the blaze in Kingsley Avenue, Dartford. He was arrested on suspicion of arson.

A 47-year-old woman and her three sons - aged 14, 20, and 21 - were trapped upstairs in the blazing semi-detatched house.

Police officers and around 20 firefighters were called to the property at about 12.40am.

The family was rescued and taken to Darent Valley Hospital, where they needed treatment after breathing in smoke.

The 20-year-old man remains under observation, but the others have been released from hospital.

The ground floor of the house has been gutted by fire, but all of it has suffered smoke damage.

Firefighter Vicki Brown said: "Fortunately we found that three members of the family had managed to get out okay, but a 21-year-old man was still upstairs so we walked him down a ladder at the rear of the property."

Neighbour Donna Hamilton, who lives opposite the council-owned house, said she and her husband, Kevin, were woken by the sound of screaming. "We thought it was just people walking through but when we got up we saw the fire brigade.

"There was thick, black smoke and flames were as high as the bushes at the front and down the side of the house.

"There was quite a crowd outside and Kevin went out and was trying to calm the woman down because she wanted to go back in. She was hysterical."

Mrs Hamilton said she did not know the family personally but "knew the dad just to say hello to".

Another neighbour described the family as "quiet".

Crews were at the scene for more than an hour. The blaze is believed to have started in the utility room, but the cause is being examined.

Anyone who witnessed the alleged arson, or has information that may help investigators, is urged to phone Sgt Stuart Biggs at Kent Police on 101, quoting reference number 0025.