This was the shocking moment a huge blaze tore through a house in a suspected arson attack. Dramatic footage reveals the scale of the fire, which broke out in the early hours in Bolton.
A woman was in the property when the blaze took hold, before a heroic neighbour banged on the door and helped her escape, according to witnesses. She was not injured, but is said to be 'traumatised'.
CCTV footage shows the blaze.
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The fire took hold in a shed before spreading to the property, causing extensive damage. Ady Taylor, station manager at Bolton North and Horwich fire stations, earlier said the fire had been started deliberately.
Police remained at the scene on Pentland Terrace this morning, as shocked neighbours reflected on the incident. "It could have been a whole lot worse, the situation last night," a nearby resident told the M.E.N.
"We were all in a state of shock this morning. It is so lucky she has got out of that."
The neighbour said she became aware of the fire at about 3.30am and saw an orange glow through her curtains.
“It was complete madness," she said. "The firefighters were here until 6 or 7am. It is just so lucky there was no more damage.
“None of us can get it out of our heads. The whole street came together. We’ve got a really good community spirit."
Speaking about the fire being treated as a suspected arson, the neighbour added: "It is just crazy to think someone would do that.
“He didn’t know if there were kids in there. They are so quiet, there has never been any issues."
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: "At around 3.30am this morning (Monday 18 April) we were called to a report of a fire on Pentland Terrace, Bolton. The fire involved an outbuilding and had spread to the ground floor and first floor of a house, also reaching the roof space.
"Three fire engines from Bolton Central and Bolton North fire stations were quickly mobilised to the scene, and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus worked hard to tackle the blaze in sectors using three hose reels. GMFRS crews were in attendance at the scene for just over three hours.
"The occupant of the property was alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm, and we want to take this opportunity to stress the importance of regularly testing your smoke alarms to ensure they are working properly."
Earlier, Ady Taylor, station manager at Bolton North and Howich fire stations, tweeted a picture of the house with the message: "An incident I attended early hours this morning in Bolton with @manchesterfire, a deliberately set fire outside which spread to the house and roof space. The occupier had a working smoke alarm which alerted them to the fire."
Greater Manchester Police have been contacted for a comment.
