The crew from the Telarah firestation were driving along a street in Rutherford about 2.30pm on Saturday when they saw smoke coming from a house on the corner of Regiment Road and Marlborough Street.

They forced their way into the house where they found a male unconscious in the living room and a small fire in the kitchen.

"They performed CPR and rendered first aid assistance until the ambulance arrived," said Inspector Michael Woodward from Fire Rescue NSW.

"I'm very happy with the guys, they saved a life, the fire was significant enough for someone to notice, it could have been much worse."

Three fire trucks attended the scene including back-up crews from Maitland.  

Michael Johnson, 44, from Rutherford who was on the street as the events were unfolding says that it was amazing that "firies dressed as Santa stumbled across the fire."

The young male was reportedly taken to hospital.

The cause of the fire is unknown.