Family homeless after motorhome fire spreads to bungalows

Crews from Weeley and Colchester were called to a fire in Heronsgate at about 2.10pm on Monday.

Neighbours were already bravely trying to tackle the blaze with garden hosepipes.

A spokesman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said its control team received more than 30 calls to the incident, following which it sent a third crew while the first two were on their way.

On arrival, crews reported that a motorhome was 100 per cent alight and was spreading to two properties on either side.

Firefighters requested two additional crews from Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe as well as an aerial ladder platform from Colchester to tackle the fire from above.

Crews worked to prevent the fire spreading further before monitoring hotspots.

One bungalow was destroyed in the fire, leaving a family homeless, while another bungalow was damaged.

Claire Marrable, 56, of Heronsgate, said she heard what sounded like an explosion and rushed out of her property to see what had happened.

Once she saw a house was on fire, she started shouting to alert the occupants to the blaze.

She says at least three neighbours got their hoses out in a bid to combat the flames before firefighters arrived, which she estimates only took about 10 minutes. 

She said: "The main question was is everyone safe. You don't know what else could have exploded.

"It's just horrible... for it to happen so, so quickly and so ferocious."

Residents say the occupants were able to get out of the property safely.

The area was closed off while firefighters were at the scene. 

Station manager Nick Singleton said: "Please continue to avoid the area while we monitor the scene.

"Our police colleagues are working with residents on the road to minimise disruption to them.

"I'd like to praise Weeley, the first crew on scene, for working in hard conditions to prevent this fire spreading beyond the two properties affected."