Horrible fire in Rayne left two houses uninhabitable

An investigation has found the house fire in Brunwin Way, Rayne, was caused by an electrical fault.

Crews were called at about 10.24am on Tuesday, July 16, after a neighbour spotted smoke coming out of a window.

Both semi-detached houses have been left uninhabitable.

Devastating- The fire travelled through the roof of the semi-detached houses. (Image: Claudia Bradley)

Steve, a resident of Brunwin Way, said: “We couldn’t see flames, just thick black smoke.

“People were standing and staring, there were six fire engines. They cordoned the whole street off.

“Firefighters were going in and out with breathing apparatuses on.”

He added: “It’s a devastating fire.”

Crews from Braintree, Chelmsford, Dunmow, Halstead, Hawkwell and Wethersfield attended the scene.

The fire spread across the two semi-detached houses through the roof.

One neighbour said: “It was horrible.

"We don’t know many details as it was another neighbour who rung the fire brigade, but it is devastating.”

She added that one of the residents of the damaged houses is currently on holiday, but she is aware of the fire.

Awful- The six firefighter crews that battled the blaze were at the scene for more than two hours. (Image: Claudia Bradley)

Another neighbour shared the road was so busy that she had to park her car in a different street.

Station Manager Tim Rickard said: “When we arrived there was a significant fire in the semi-detached house, which had spread through the roof into the neighbouring property.

“Crews worked quickly and professionally to extinguish the fire and stop it from spreading further.

“Unfortunately the first floor has been significantly fire damaged and both properties have been left uninhabitable.”

The fire was extinguished by 12.38pm.

Shock- Residents were stunned by the thick black smoke spotted coming out of the windows. (Image: Claudia Bradley)

The Essex County Fire and Rescue Service issued charging safety advice, as charging electrical items can cause a real danger in the home.

The fire service says not to leave items on charge or plugged in overnight or while no one is home, or plugged in and turned on when they are not in use.

It suggests not to leave items on charge for long periods, and to only use the charger supplied by the manufacturer.

It also suggests to look out for the CE mark that indicates chargers comply with European Safety standards.