NEIGHBOURS awoke to the smell of smoke as flames ripped through a bungalow.

Four fire crews and police were called to the scene in Ayloffe Road, Colchester.

Police cordoned off the road while firefighters worked to contain the blaze, which left the mid-terraced bungalow gutted.

Firefighters were initially told there was someone inside the property, who was unaccounted for, but the owner had decided to stay at a friend’s house in Colchester for the night.

Jack Waters, 66, lives opposite the bungalow.

He said: “The dog jumped up on my bed and woke me up and I got up and drew the curtains and immediately saw the fire.

“The flames were coming out of the front door so I phoned the fire brigade straight away.

“I was worried the man who lives there was still inside, but luckily he had been staying with a friend.”

He added: “I thought I was dreaming.

“There were explosions in the bungalow. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”

People living in the street were left without electricity for more than two and a half hours, after fire crews asked electricity supplier, EDF Energy, to turn off the power while they fought the flames.

The bungalow next door suffered water damage as a result of the struggle to stop the fire. Two more homes were also left smokelogged.

Mary-Jane Sheils, of Ayloffe Road, said: “I’m normally up about 6am anyway.

“When I first woke up I thought my kitchen was on fire because of the smell. The smoke was horrendous. It was like a swirl and when I came out of the front door the flames were about 30ft tall in the sky.”

Martin Avent, investigating fire officer, said: “Crews did well in extremely hot and arduous conditions. It is thanks to their hard work and professionalism this fire did not spread further”. The fire was eventually out by about 7.30am on Friday. A joint fire and police investigation is taking place to establish the cause.