Bungalow fire caused by electrical fault

A man and his dog were rescued from a bungalow fire in Clacton last night (Saturday 13 March).

Crews were called to the property in Southwold Way, Clacton, and told there may be someone trapped inside. 

On arrival, firefighters quickly began searching inside the property, although were then told by neighbours that the resident, an elderly man, and his dog, had been rescued by a neighbour soon after the 999 call. 

Crews immediately began tackling the fire which had started outside the garage and had begun to spread to the side and roof of the property. 

Firefighters worked hard in windy conditions and extinguished the fire by 11:08pm.

Three people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.

Watch Manager Crag Todd, Clacton Fire Station, said: 

"Our crews did really well to bring this fire under control, and because of this the bungalow only suffered around 20% fire damage, as well as some smoke damage and water damage in the roof. 

"The fire was caused by an electrical fault with an external plug.

"We believe that rainwater had got into the plug, and the fuse trip has regularly been tripping.

"It's really important to remember that a fuse is a safety device, and when it trips it is a warning message that something is not right. It should be investigated and not ignored.

"If you're suddenly realising that you regularly reset your fuse box, I urge you to investigate the cause rather than ignore it."

The garage, where the fire started, has been completely destroyed. 

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