A FAMILY home has been ruined after a devastating fire raged in a bedroom and plagued the rest of the building with thick smoke.

Two Essex Fire Service crews from Colchester and one from Witham were called to a home in Upland Road, West Mersea, at 10am on Friday.

They had been called into action after an occupant of the property noticed signs of an inferno while they were outside.

Upon arrival, the fast-acting firefighters located the blaze in the bedroom which, along with the rest of the house, was heavily smoke-logged.

After successfully containing the fire to the bedroom, they managed to extinguish it by just after 10.30am, resulting in no one sustaining any serious injuries.

According to fire experts, however, the inferno, believed to be either accidental or deliberate, has now rendered the house uninhabitable.

Richard Lark, watch manager at Colchester fire station, said: “The crews did a great job to contain the fire and prevent additional damage to the property.

“Fortunately, the family member noticed the first signs of fire and nobody was seriously harmed.

“But these incidents really highlight the importance of having working smoke alarms on every level of your home.”