FEARFUL residents today demanded council action to safeguard their homes after a fire left two men in hospital, blew up a motorbike and caused damage to their communal lobby.

Youngsters are believed to have deliberately started fire to a pile of rubbish which soon raged out of control, just outside the back door of a block of flats in Wayletts, Laindon.

Two men, aged 48 and 21, were taken to Basildon Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after they tried to fight the blaze.

Published Monday, November 21, 2005