A doctor who narrowly escaped a house fire spoken of his family's “terrifying” ordeal.

St Helier Hospital doctor Paritosh Sharma did not think his family would escape alive when he discovered a blaze in a cupboard at his front door in the early hours of Monday morning.

But Dr Sharma, 30, of Glencroft Court, Sherwood Park Road in Sutton acted quickly after he awakened to the smell of smoke. He woke up wife Anushree Choudhary, 30, and four-year-old son Rahul and helped them clamber through the smoke and escape into the corridor.

Fire crews from Sutton and Wallington were called at 1.36am and spent two hours at the scene.

Seven neighbours, as well as Dr Sharma and his family, were treated for smoke inhalation. A 26-year-old woman and her four-month-old child were taken to St Helier Hospital but are said to be fine.

Dr Sharma said: “We had a narrow escape – there was a large amount of smoke so if I hadn't woken up I dead to think what would have happened.

“I don't know how we managed to get through the smoke at the front door. It was terrifying.”

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “The fire was caused by a problem with an electrical fuse board. All three members of the family escaped without injuries and about ten percent of the flat was damaged by smoke.”

A London Ambulance spokesman said: “We were called at 2.15am to the report of a fire at Glencroft Court, Sutton. We sent one fast responder car and one ambulance.

“We treated ten patients for smoke inhalation at the scene. A 26-year-old woman and a four-month-old child were taken to St Helier Hospital for further treatment.”

Dr Sharma and his family are now staying with a neighbour.