by Keyan Milanian

kmilanian@thekmgroup.co.uk

A Chinese lantern is being blamed for a fire that destroyed a shed and a greenhouse.

A garage and mature conifer trees were seriously damaged by the blaze behind homes in Haig Avenue and Huntsmans Close, Rochester, on Saturday night.

The fire is thought to have started just before 8.30pm.

Crews from Strood and Medway described seeing flames “20ft higher than a house”.

A team from Strood was on its way back from a minor job in Maidstone Road when they spotted smoke and flames above the houses.

They were on their way to the scene when they were called by the fire control room. A pump from Medway joined them later.

John and Jenny Matthews, who have lived in Haig Avenue for 20 years were unaware of the fire on their property until a young man knocked on their door.

Mr Matthews said: “We were all sat down in the living room having a family get together, we did not even smell anything when a young lad passing by knocked on the door and said 'I understand your shed’s on fire’.

“There’s no point being angry about it, it’s just one of those things. It is a terrible thing how quickly it took hold, although we were safe in the house, it was still frightening.

“If the young lad had not knocked on the door, we might not have noticed it for another hour and it could have been a lot worse.”

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “I looked up and saw a Chinese lantern coming down, we have seen them coming on the other side of our house, and a short time after we saw the fire engines and assumed that was where it landed.

“I just cannot believe someone could have the mentality to set off something like that in a built- up area, it’s stupid.”