Bungalow family flee blaze
AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after a family were forced to flee their luxury home as fire ripped through it.
The family were eating dinner at a bungalow on Ladybarn Crescent, Bramhall, on Monday night when the blaze which could have been deliberate - began.
It is thought the fire started when wheelie bins at the side of the property set alight and the flames quickly spread up the side of the house and through the loft.
Firefighters from Cheadle, Offerton and King Street stations were called to the blaze and remained at the scene the following morning.
The fire took around 90 minutes to bring under control and caused extensive damage to the bungalow, particularly the roof.
Police were called and an investigation with the fire service has begun.
CCTV cameras are installed at the house and it is hoped footage from them can provide clues.
The family, a woman, man and two or three children, called 999 and fled outside. None were injured. At the height of the blaze five fire engines were at the scene, which is in a leafy, residential area of Bramhall, and three remained there on Tuesday morning.
CID officers and crime scene investigators were also sifting through the wreckage in a bid to find the cause.
Matt Lewis, watch manager at Offerton station, said: “It was a very big bungalow at the end of a long drive and it looked like the fire originated from wheelie bins at the side.
“It was going very well when we got there and travelled through the roof very quickly. It was chaotic.
“The family were all alright, they got out and were fine. It was a very nice house in a very nice area.”
Firefighters used hose reels and six sets of breathing apparatus to extinguish the flames.
A police spokesman confirmed officers were called to the incident and were now investigating the cause of the blaze.