A 76-year-old woman has been taken to the John Hunter hospital with smoke inhalation after a fire caused severe damage to a home at Shortland early on Tuesday.
Around 20 firefighters from Wallsend, Mayfield West, Lambton and Newcastle were called to to the single story clad home on Aden Street at about midnight to find the house well alight.
It's taken about 90 minutes to extinguish the fire - all the occupants managed to escape.
It's believed the fire started in the kitchen or dining room area, with an electrical fault the likely cause.
