Two hospitalised after NSW house fire

A man and woman have been taken to hospital after he tried to rescue her from a house fire in Lake Macquarie in NSW.

Police say an 18-year-old man, who was found on the footpath, tried to rescue a 63-year-old woman from the burning house on Karog Street in Pelican about 11.20pm Sunday.

She was found unconscious and has been airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney in a serious but stable condition, while the man suffered smoke inhalation and is in a serious but stable condition at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, police say.