Electrical fault sparks roof fire

12:31pm Thursday 29th May 2008

THE roof of a bungalow in Hockley was left badly damaged this morning after faulty wiring caught fire.

Neighbours alerted firefighters after seeing smoke billowing from the home in New Park Road shortly after 9.30am.

Crews from Hawkwell, Rayleigh and Hadleigh prevented the fire from spreading to the rest of the building.

Neil Fenwick, assistant divisional officer with Essex Fire and Rescue Service said: "About 40 per cent of the roof was badly damaged but the quick action of firefighters ensured it didn't cause the kind of damage that it could have done. They did a really good job in stopping it spreading.

"We believe it was an electrical fault. The fire was out by 10.30am but the operation continued with a salvage operation to ensure that nothing remained alight."

No one was in the bungalow at the time of the fire.