A HOUSE in Harpenden was left partially destroyed by fire after a freak accident involving workmen carrying out repairs to the property on Tuesday afternoon, June 25.

It is believed two roofers carrying out work at the home in High Ridge accidentally started the fire after using a propane flame torch to seal a felt covering.

Old insulation inside the roof caught alight, causing a fire to spread across the roof.

One of the workmen attempted to put out the flames with a dry powder extinguisher while a neighbour who noticed the fire as he was watering his back lawn, passed up his garden hose to help.

However, as the blaze began to engulf the entire roof, the neighbour called the fire brigade.

No one was seriously injured during the incident, but the workman who attempted to tackle the blaze was later taken to hospital with minor burns to his arm.

A grandmother and young child and a plumber working downstairs in the house at the time evacuated the building and escaped unhurt.

The owner of the house, Mr Adrian Colledge, was at work in St Albans at the time of the incident. He was called out by one of the workmen as firefighters tackled the blaze.

Mr Trevor Ray, sub-officer at St Albans fire station attended the scene. He said: "The insulation inside the roof had caught fire and was in danger of spreading throughout the house so we had to use breathing equipment to tackle the fire from inside as well as outside."

Seven fire appliances were called out to the incident including one from Harpenden and Wheathampstead and a salvage crew from Hitchin.

An aerial platform appliance was also called out from St Albans.

Mr Ray added: "The house was left badly damaged after part of the roof collapsed into the first floor.

"The rest of the house suffered severe smoke and water damage."

June 27, 2002 11:00