NEIGHBOURS have described hearing an ‘almighty bang’ before the home of a young Yate family went up in smoke yesterday.

A dozen people called 999 after an explosion in the kitchen of the terraced house in Edgeworth just before 10am. Residents reported smoke billowing from an adjoining row of properties and many rushed on to the street to help, with several banging on doors to evacuate neighbours.

Heather Collier, who has lived a few doors up for 10 years, said: “I heard an almighty bang, it shook the whole house.

“Then their window blew out and I heard people shouting to call 999. I came outside and their kitchen door is half glass and I could see loads of flames coming out of the oven. It looked like the oven had been left on but I don’t know.”

The owners of the house, a young couple and their baby, were not in at the time but returned to find their home of just a year completely devastated. No neighbours were injured in the blaze, however, it has left adjacent properties with smoke damage.

Lynne Smith, who lives further up the road in Edgeworth, was one of the first on the scene after the fire broke out.

In tears at times, she told the Gazette: “I had a phone call and came out and as I was walking up the street I saw this fire coming towards me.

“I have never seen anything like it. The only way I can describe it is it was like something out of the film Backdraft. The house just went, it was terrifying.”

She added: “People were shouting get out, get out and we were running around banging on doors to make sure no-one was inside. It was frightening.”

Sisters Katie and Tamzin Trueman, who were only at home from work at Indesit washing machine manufacturers in Yate because of a fault in the factory, have launched an appeal for baby clothes and household items for the homeowners.

Katie said: “It was quite scary. When you think of a fire you just think of a little thing but not something like this and you don’t expect it to happen in your neighbourhood.

“They have lost everything.”

Station manager for Avon Fire and Rescue Service, Russ Bennett, said five crews and a welfare support unit had tackled the blaze in blistering heat. The fire reignited several times and had gutted the downstairs, upstairs and loft of the house., he said It was finally put out at around 1.30pm.

“We will do a re-inspection and then board it up,” he told the Gazette at the scene. “We will then carry out an investigation into the cause alongside police.”

He added: “Gas and electric supplies have been isolated outside and people in the adjacent properties have been advised not to stay tonight because of smoke damage.”

He said one of the family’s three cats suffered burns and another is missing. Their two rabbits were unharmed.

The family is receiving support from a Red Cross Victim Support Unit. They declined to speak to the Gazette at the time.

Anyone with any donations should contact Katie or Tamzin Trueman on Facebook.

A crowdfunding web page has also been set up for the family and has raised £500 in a few hours. Go to crowdfunding.justgiving.com/stace-oakley-1 to help.