A WOMAN and dog have been rescued from a flat fire which is believed to have been started deliberately.

The fire service was called to the flat in Ryedene Place, Vange, yesterday after being called about the blaze in a first storey flat.

Firefighters were able to put out the fire and rescued a woman and a dog from the flat.

Neighbour Sam Hammel, 26, spotted the fire as he was on his way home and leapt into action to help.

Construction worker Mr Hammel, who broke his ankle in October falling down a hole, said: “As I was getting out of the taxi, I could see there was thick black smoke everywhere.

“I shouted up to the balconies ‘what is happening?’ and someone shouted back that that the front of their house was on fire.

“I went up into my flat and started grabbing buckets to fill with water.

“One of the lads in the flat jumped off the balcony to come round and help.

“I filled up three or four buckets and threw them on the fire. I was terrified.”

The occupants of the flat, believed to be two men and one woman, had already called the fire service.

Two fire engines from Basildon were quickly on the scene and were able to put the fire out by 2am.

A woman and a Staffordshire bull terrier dog were rescued from the flat by firefighters.

The entire front of the flat was damaged by the fire, including the door, the frame and the window.

The flat was left severely smoke damaged and the occupants have had to find alternative accommodation.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the fire and police services, but at this stage the fire service believe it was started deliberately.

According to Mr Hammel, it may have been started by people setting fire to a mattress that had been left outside the flat in preparation for being thrown out.

Mr Hammel said: “It happens a lot around here. People leave their rubbish out and then people going past and set fire to it. It is terrible really - they have no regard for people’s lives.

“This fire could have been a lot worse and could have easily spread to other people’s flats.

“Instinct just kicked in when I saw the smoke and fire.

“I have never put a fire out before.

“It was a spur of the moment thing.”

The flat has since been bordered up to protect it.

A spokesman for the fire service said: “Firefighters had extinguished the fire by 1:52am and rescued a woman and a dog from the property.

“The cause of the fire is under investigation, at this stage it is thought to have been started deliberately.

“The house has been severely damaged by smoke.”