POLICE officers found the ground-floor unit in Redfern well alight on Friday night after a member of the public alerted them to the blaze.

The four officers managed to break into the home and attempted to use a fire hose to try and extinguish the fire. While fighting through thick smoke, they found a 59-year-old man in the hallway, police said. The man, who was struggling to walk and breathe, was carried to safety. Firefighters arrived at the scene soon after and they rescued a 75-year-old woman from the unit. The pair were taken to St Vincent's Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Four police officers including a sergeant and a senior constable were also treated for smoke inhalation. The unit suffered extensive damage but the cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious, police said.