Army fire crews battled searing heat and billowing smoke to rescue a dog after a boiler exploded at a house in Thundersley early today.

Soldiers and a crew wearing breathing apparatus searched the house and found the dog cowering in a corner as the fire took hold at the property in Highview Drive.

They found the elderly woman owner standing just outside the back door when they arrived at 6.40am today.

Flames were coming from the kitchen and the woman was very shaken and suffering from smoke inhalation.

The blaze ripped through the room after the boiler exploded, shooting out flames and filling the home with smoke.

Crews from the Red Goddess took the woman to her neighbours' home while they tackled the flames next door and called paramedics.

Published Wednesday, January 22, 2003

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