POLICE believe someone deliberately set fire to a child’s bedroom at a family home in Rose Hill.

The family of seven were lucky to escape the blaze at the house in Asquith Road on Wednesday, according to firefighters.

Two fire crews, from Slade Park and Rewley Road, were called out at 6.20pm and used breathing apparatus.

The family escaped, but three residents were treated for smoke inhalation and one was taken to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital.

There was concern for the family’s pet cats, but they also escaped.

Slade Park’s watch manager Matt Dangerfield said “While the family acted quickly and correctly in first shutting the door to the bedroom that was on fire and evacuating all the occupants, they were very lucky.

“The property did not have any smoke alarms, the occupiers were very lucky to be alerted by the fire itself, and the family’s injuries could have been much worse.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation as arson by Thames Valley Police, but no arrests have been made.

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