A FAMILY has been left homeless after a charger overheated and ignited causing the house to go up in flames.

Firefighters were called to the scene of a house fire in Langdon Hills, yesterday evening.

On arrival the four crews found the building well alight, and Essex Police were called to place a safety cordon to allow firefighters to tackle the blaze.

By 10:30pm the fire was contained before being out by 11:17pm.

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Due to the extent of the damage, the occupants have been left homeless.

After an investigation into the cause of the fire, it was found it was caused accidentally after a charger overheated and ignited in the bedroom.

John-Paul Charters, Watch Manager, said: "Firefighters worked incredibly hard here to make sure the damage was contained as much as possible.

“When we arrived, the fire was spreading quickly and could very easily have affected neighbouring properties.

"We believe this incident was caused after a charger overheated - something which happens more than you might think.

“Please, when using chargers, don't leave them on for long periods or unattended - it isn't worth the risk.”