The fire took place in Wallington
Spontaneous chemical combustion sparked a fire underneath a staircase in a family home.
The family left their home in Park Lane, Wallington, at 3.15am this morning and dialled 999 after smelling a strong stench of chemicals.
Firefighters believe a chemical reaction caused a fire to start in some rags covered covered with white spirit under the stairs.
When they arrived the rags were smouldering, leaving a strong stench of chemicals throughout the house.
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