Mother rescues family from burning Melbourne apartment

A woman is being called a hero after rescuing her four-year-old daughter, her mother, brother and a friend from a fire in their Melbourne unit.

The mother said she was sleeping with her daughter at their Springvale unit about midnight when she woke to find the TV cabinet alight and grabbed her daughter before returning to evacuate her mother, brother and a friend.

The family said they were using candles because they had no electricity.

She said she was terrified and fought the thick smoke while evacuating.

No one was injured.