Firefighters are investigating a blaze that broke out in the basement of a Burnaby home and sent seven people to hospital early Monday morning.

The fire started sometime before 2 a.m. at a property on 10th Avenue, near the New Westminster border. Fortunately, the flames were spotted by ambulance paramedics who happened to be passing the home.

Seven family members were inside at the time, all of whom managed to escape on their own.

"It was just chaos, just absolute chaos trying to get my kids out of the house," homeowner Maria Uppal said. "We're all OK, we're just going to rebuild."

Unfortunately, their kitten, a 14-week-old Siamese tabby named Max, is missing.

The Burnaby Fire Department said the residents suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to Royal Columbian Hospital as a precaution while a crew of 30 firefighters worked aggressively to douse the flames.

"Firefighters initiated what we call a transitional attack; knocked it down from the front with a quick attack line then we proceeded in through the bravo side, or the side door," Asst. Chief Gavin Summers said.

They were able to put the fire out quickly, but the two-storey property still sustained serious damage throughout.

The cause of the blaze hasn't been confirmed, but firefighters said it appears to have started in a basement bedroom.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Nafeesa Karim