A FAMILY fled their property after a fire broke out in the roof of their home in Charminster.

A total of 40 firefighters were at the scene to tackle the blaze, which was thought to have started because of an electrical fault. 

The fire service was called at 5.37pm on Wednesday, April 3 to a fire at a property in Gresham Road, Charminster, involving the roof and the first floor of the house.

A neighbour said the family got out of the house, and no one was injured.

He said: “The flames were coming out of the roof, and the house is completely gutted.

“The whole house is completely destroyed because of smoke and water damage.

“Thankfully, everyone is safe.”

The smoke was so severe fire crews advised neighbours to keep their doors and windows closed to avoid the smoke plumes.

The family was able to take refuge in a neighbour’s property, and volunteers from the British Red Cross emergency response team based at Springbourne Fire Station attended the scene to support them.

The neighbour said the roof had to be destroyed for firefighters to extinguish the flames.

Dorset and Wilshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had to strip the roof to ensure all hot spots had been dealt with.

He said: “It was a roof conversion which had multiple rooms inside.

“They have had to buy a whole new wardrobe because most of their belonging were destroyed in the fire.”

Crews from Redhill Park, Springbourne, Westbourne, Christchurch (x2), Poole (x2), Wimborne and Ringwood, an aerial ladder platform from Westbourne and a support appliance from Hamworthy attended the scene.

The fire service contacted Dorset Police to assist with road closures while they tackled the fire.

There were reports of very slow traffic in Charminster Avenue to Charminster Road, and Gresham Road was blocked off both ways.

Six breathing apparatus wearers used two hose reel jets and two main jets to tackle the fire.

It took over two hours to put out the fire, and the fire service received its stop at 8.08pm.