TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A family of four narrowly escaped certain death after a building went up in flames early Saturday morning (Oct. 8).

The fire spread from the first floor of Building 1 on Wenping Road, Anping District, Tainan City, at just before 5:30 a.m. The husband and wife, surnamed Fang (房), were trapped by the fire, along with their son and his girlfriend, per CTWant.

They tried to get out of a door on the first floor but the flames and smoke were too intense, so they ran up to the fourth floor and rang for help. At the same time, they blocked the door to prevent smoke getting in.

Firefighters on the scene used ladders to rescue the family members, who were given respirators to breathe. They were taken to hospital but were nevertheless said not to have suffered serious injury.

The fire is suspected to have started on the first floor lobby among a pile of goods. It was extinguished about 6 a.m., according to the fire department, and no one else was endangered by the incident.

(CTWant, Readers photo)