Kids rescued from burning car

The fire was started by the young boy playing with a lighter. File photo / Thinkstock

Two children were pulled from a car fire today that started from a cigarette lighter.

Warkworth chief fire officer Ian Davies said a six-year-old was left inside a car on Baxter St around 1.40pm and was playing with a cigarette lighter.

"He was playing with a cigarette lighter and set fire to the rear of the driver seat, right where his sister, a 22-month-old, was sitting," he said.

The children's mother was across the road from the parked car, inside a bank.

A passerby at the scene said she saw the flames and the mother frantically trying to get the two children out of the vehicle before the flames spread.

Another passerby used a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze before the Fire Service arrived at the scene.

Mr Davies said the mother was "in shock" at what had happened.

He said it was a reminder of the dangers of cigarette lighters.

"Make sure all lighters and matches are out of reach of children, and don't leave them unattended in a car," he said.