Boy, 4, and gran escape after fire rips through house in ‘devastating …

A family is ‘devastated’ after fire ripped through their home today.

Residents reported hearing an explosion as a blaze took hold at the semi-detached property in Audenshaw.^[1]

But nobody was inside and a woman and her four-year-old grandson, who were in the back garden when the fire started, escaped unharmed. The first floor and roof of the home have been badly damaged.

Three fire engines, paramedics and police were called to the house on Audenshaw Hall Grove in Audenshaw just after 3pm on Friday following reports of a significant fire.

Patricia Burrows, whose daughter lives in the property, was in the garden with her grandson, aged four, when the fire started.

She told the M.E.N: “I heard a hammering on the front door which was the neighbours alerting me the bedroom was on fire. I had my grandson and brought him out. The neighbours were really wonderful. They really looked after us.”

Patricia said she and her grandson were ‘fine’.

Firefighters clear out the property (Image: Manchester Evening News)

But she said the damage was significant: “The windows blew out and everything exploded. The roof has gone.”

She said her midwife daughter, who lives at the home but was away at the time of the fire, was ‘devastated’. “She’s been working so hard to do it up,” said Patricia.

Andy Coogan, who lives on a street nearby, said: “I live at the back of the house; I heard an explosion and then I went out. The house was engulfed but fire crews were already on the scene.

Fire crews on the scene (Image: Coogan82/Twitter)

“There are three fire engines with an unmarked police and two ambulances.”

On Friday evening, only one crew remained at the scene clearing out the property.

Pictures from the scene showed the first floor of the home and roof had been badly damaged by the fire. A first floor window appeared to have been blown out.

The first floor and roof were severely damaged in the fire (Image: Manchester Evening News)

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Just after 3pm this afternoon (Friday 12^th May), three fire engines from Gorton, Philips Park and Ashton fire station were called to reports of a building fire involving a property on Audenshaw Hall Grove, Audenshaw.

“Crews arrived quickly at scene. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used two hose reels, a jet and positive pressure ventilation to extinguish the fire.

“Firefighters have been in attendance for around an hour and are still at the scene.”

1. ^ blaze took hold at the semi-detached property in Audenshaw. (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
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