Woman left homeless after two Stansted house fires break out within hours of each other

Two house fires broke out in the space of a few hours of each other – one leaving a woman homeless.

Both blazes occurred in Stansted Mountfitchet in the early hours of this morning (Friday).

Firefighters from Newport, Stansted and Bishops Stortford, were first called to a property in Gilbey Crescent, just after 3.30am.

The crews discovered that 10 per cent of a mid terraced property was alight and the whole of the building was heavily smoke logged.

Firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used a thermal image camera to assist in the search of the property to ensure no-one was inside.

They needed two hose reels to tackle the flames and a covering jet to protect nearby properties.

A woman was left homeless following the fire and a neighbour suffered smoke inhalation but did not need hospital treatment.

Police said it appeared entry had been forced to the property.

Just before 7.30am crews were then alerted to a blaze in a boarded up flat in Normans Way.

On arrival they reported that the first floor of the house, measuring 20m x 10m, was on fire.

Wearing breathing apparatus and using two hose reels, crews had extinguished the fire before 8am.

They used a covering jet to protect surrounding properties.

It was thought the house may be occupied, but after a search, firefighters said everyone had been accounted for.

A joint Police and Fire Service investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of both fires.