A mum alerted fire crews to a blaze which destroyed the roofs of two bungalows after being woken by her young baby.

Jennifer Pearce, 29, was feeding three-week-old Charlie at about 3am yesterday when she heard what she thought were fireworks.

When she looked out of a window from her house in Herne Bay Road, Swalecliffe, she saw huge flames and smoke billowing from a home in Seafield Road, Tankerton - which she thought was a bonfire.

But she soon realised the roof of a bungalow had been engulfed by the blaze, and dialled 999.

The Joy Lane Primary School teacher said: “I was feeding my baby but then I heard this type of firework crackling noise.

“I looked out and saw directly behind our back garden what I thought was a bonfire at first. Then I realised it looked like a house was on fire.”

As Mrs Pearce waited for the fire engines to arrive, she could see the blaze was spreading “super fast”.

“There are some big trees behind our garden and there was smoke billowing up,” she added.

“The flames looked as high as the tall trees. In 10 minutes, it almost doubled in size.”

Four fire engines were called to Seafield Road, Whitstable, after the alarm was raised.

Crews wearing breathing masks extinguished the flames, which had spread to the roofs of two neighbouring bungalows.

Two people were checked over by paramedics.

The fire service’s volunteer response team provided support and welfare for the affected residents and crews.

Pictures taken after the fire show devastating damage to the two bungalows.

It is understood the cause of the fire was electrical, and started accidentally.

Mrs Pearce added: “When I saw it, I thought someone else must have seen it. But it’s better two people call and say the same thing rather than no one.

“Often what happens in emergencies is people think that someone else will do it.

“If my little boy hadn’t been having a feed, then I wouldn’t have been awake.

“The firework noise woke me up because I like them and wanted to see if there was anything to watch. But it was more dramatic.

“I did my bit. It is only the second time I’ve called 999. I had quite an adrenaline rush.”

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