by Martin Jefferies

A family has watched helplessly as their Ramsgate home went up in flames, just weeks before Christmas.

More than 20 firefighters from Ramsgate and Thanet (Westwood) were called to reports of a roof alight in the Newington area at around 10am Tuesday.

An adult and three children managed to escape uninjured from the blaze in Colombo Square but a large part of their home was wrecked.

The fire, which is thought to have started accidentally, caused the roof to collapse and destroyed most of the first floor of the semi-detached property.

Paul Newman, Ramsgate station manager, said: "The fire developed rapidly, spreading from the roof to the upper floor. While crews positioned the aerial appliance and began tackling the fire from above the roof, firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the ground floor and attempted to salvage as many of its contents as possible.

"Thanks to some aggressive fire-fighting, crews prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining properties, but unfortunately the home in which it began was left badly damaged."

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) confirmed the house had not been fitted with smoke alarms, which a spokesperson said "could have alerted the family to the fire sooner, allowing fire crews to get to the incident quicker, giving the fire less time to develop and resulting in less damage".

Firefighters were due to visit the local area to offer fire safety advice and home safety visits, during which free smoke alarms can be fitted and escape routes identified.

To book a free visit, call KFRS on 0800 923 7000 or visit www.kent.fire.org