FIREFIGHTERS spent hours tackling a large blaze at a property in Southbourne.
The fire service was called to the building in Pinecliffe Avenue, comprising two flats, at 9.36am on Saturday morning, January 20.
Crews from Springbourne, Westbourne, and Christchurch attended, and discovered a fire on the second floor and in the roof space.
The road was blocked off to motorists, residents were asked to stay clear, and a cordon was placed around the property while the incident was dealt with.
Firefighters used an aerial ladder platform to reach the roof of the building, and two hose reel jets and two main jets to extinguish the flames.
Crews had dealt with the fire by 11.43am but remained on scene dampening down for several hours after.
No casualties have been reported.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said a fire investigation is underway, but it is too early to say what the cause is.
The blaze was witnessed by a number of residents in Pinecliffe Avenue, many of whom watched in horror as the roof burnt away and thick smoke formed.
The fire service said it received "several" calls by members of the public reporting the incident.
Katherine Hart said: “I just saw flames coming through the roof. The fire brigade were really quick getting here. They’ve been amazing.
“I have taken in a young family who were in the house next door.
"There seems to be a really good community spirit. Everyone’s helping out making cups of tea for people.”
Nathan Ball said: “There was a bit of smoke at first so I thought someone was just burning garden waste or something.
“I came back out to look at it and that’s when it started to get quite big. There were flames coming through the roof."
Another resident, female, who does not want to be named: “We were coming back from walking the dog and just saw all this smoke coming off the roof and flames.
"That was around 10am. It looks like it’s going to collapse in now.”
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