Six people were lucky to escape as flames ripped through a Wimbledon flat and only narrowly avoided igniting a curry restaurant kitchen full of flammable cooking oils.

Fire crews were called to flats above the Curry Royal in Hartfield Road at 1.45am on Tuesday and arrived within four minutes to rescue residents before extingishing the blaze.

Four were taken to St George’s Hospital, although none had burns or other serious injuries.

But according to firefighters at the scene, had they arrived any later the fire could have rapidly spread through the restaurant.

When neighbours called restaurant owner Abdus Subhan to say the building was on fire, he was worried he could lose his business.

Mr Subhan, whose father opened the Curry Royal 67 years ago, said the restaurant was one of the oldest in Wimbledon.

Wimbledon fire station manager, John Prater, said: “There’s no question the overall story would have been very different. It’s safe to say they have been very lucky.

“The fact the fire was on the first floor above a restaurant kitchen makes this even more serious.”

He said the flat was not fitted with working smoke detectors and urged residents to make sure alarms were functioning.

Three fire engines were called to the scene and firefighters used two hose reels and a thermal imaging camera to assist in putting out the blaze.

It is believed the emergency call came from a passerby.

Firefighters from the Kingston Road station – just half a mile from the scene – were able to control the fire within 15 minutes, preventing the blaze from spreading to the restaurant.