A TERRIFIED woman jumped out of the window of her first floor bedroom after it was set ablaze by what is believed to be a cigarette.

The woman, 45, fell into her garden and broke her wrist. She was taken to hospital for treatment to her wrist and for smoke inhalation.

Witnesses said they saw flames bursting out the window of the room.

The fire happened yesterday morning at around 1.35am in Tyfields, Basildon.

Nearby residents were evacuated from their homes with Essex Police sealing off the entire road.

Three fire engines were called to the scene and they extinguished the blaze at 2.20am. The bedroom was completely on fire, and the home has been left uninhabitable due to severe smoke damage.

Owner of the home, Sandra Patton, 70, is devastated.

She said: “I’m still shell-shocked. It could have been a lot worse. The most important thing is that my daughter and husband are OK. I was woken up by the smoke alarm.

"I opened my daughter’s room and the room was on fire and she had to jump from the window to escape. The fire could have been started by a mobile phone charger overheating. All the things inside the room were destroyed.

“I stayed at a friend’s place after we were evacuated. The firemen cut off our gas and electricity. I’ve got the gas back, but the electricity hasn’t been reconnected.

"I need it because I sleep with a breathing machine. I want to thank everyone for their concern.”

Neighbour Carol Witherspoon, 48, said: “It was horrific. We were evacuated out of our house and I saw the flames shooting out of the room. The smell of smoke has been appalling.

"It’s still lingering in my house, my clothes and hair. There were three fire engines and the road was completely blocked off.”

Another neighbour, Kali Drummond, 32, said: “I didn’t realise there was a fire until my friend called me in the morning. I was so shocked. I went outside and I saw their room had been destroyed by the fire.

“It’s very sad that it’s happened just when Christmas is coming around. I’m going to talk to the neighbours and see if we can do something to help them.”

A spokesman from East of England Ambulance Service said: “An ambulance crew and ambulance officer were called to the scene. One patient was taken to Basildon Hospital for further care.”