Man forced to flee from blazing Telford home

A fire broke out at a house in Telford causing substantial damage and forcing a man to flee from his home.

The blaze occurred at the home in James Way, Donnington, shortly after 4pm yesterday.

It damaged 25 per cent of the ground floor while smoke affected 80 per cent of the upstairs. Onlookers said a man in the house when the fire broke out closed all the windows to stop the flames spreading further.

They said he then called 999 and got out of the building.

Crews used two pressured hose jets to douse the flames and a specialist extractor fan then had to be drafted in to rid the house of smoke.

No-one was injured during the incident and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "The man who lives there did all the right things. I think he shut all the doors to stop it spreading then called 999."

Another neighbour, Robert Ralph, said the electricity board had been out last night after the fire to make the area safe.

He said: "They came out last night and had to switch my electricity off as well for a while."

The neighbours did not know the name of the man and woman who live in the house and believe they have now gone to stay with relatives.

A spokesman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said the occupant called in the fire. Fire crews from Wellington and Telford, an officer from Shrewsbury and a fire investigation officer attended the scene.

Firefighters were called to another blaze at an empty two-storey house in All Stretton, near Church Stretton, shortly after 3pm yesterday. Fire teams from Church Stretton, Craven Arms and Shrewsbury dealt with the blaze, which was stopped at about 4.30pm.

A spokesman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said no-one had been injured.