BY IAN CROUCH
A young family has had a lucky escape after a fire broke out at their East Maitland home overnight.
Firefighters from East Maitland and Morpeth were called to the home on Barton Street just before 10.30pm on Sunday to find a large volume of smoke inside the house.
They traced the source of the smoke to a clothes dryer which had caught alight.
The fire was quickly extinguished and the dryer was taken outside while crews ventilated the home.
Three children suffered minor smoke inhalation and were assessed by paramedics at the scene.
Newcastle Fire Command says the fire is a timely reminder to regularly clean lint filters in dryers.
