A huge blaze that ripped through a row of four houses was caused by a ‘discarded cigarette’.
More than 50 firefighters from across Wiltshire were called to the serious incident in Walter Close, Swindon, at around 3.15pm yesterday (Thursday, 14 July).
Fire alarms alerted the residents to the flames – who escaped with their lives and their pets.
GALLERY: Drone photographs show scale of blaze that destroyed four houses in Swindon
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service believe the fire was caused by a cigarette that was thrown into the garden and set fire to a fence and bushes.
The fire spread to the house and subsequently destroyed all four buildings in the row.
In a statement to ITV News, fire commander Dean Hoskins said: “It looks like we’ve had a discarded cigarette that caught a fence alight and then all the bushes and that behind it because they’re so tinder dry.
“Thankfully all the properties have got fire alarms in them so that alerted the occupants to the fact that there was a fire and all the neighbours got everybody out and all the pets as well.”
