Smouldering logs left unattended caused a house fire in Dunmow this week (January 17).

They had been stacked too close to a fire in the house on Green Lane, and at around 1.30pm heat transfer caused them to also set alight.

As this wood was not protected like the rest of the fire, they rolled onto the carpet – starting a blaze.

Alarms were raised by a neighbour, who came home to find his house also filled with smoke.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service firefighters from stations in Stansted and Leaden Roding were called onto the scene, where they found the house 100 per cent smoke logged.

To extinguish the fire by 2.25pm, the firefighters had to cut part of the flooring away. There was also fire and smoke damage.