Residents had a narrow escape when an incorrectly fitted wood burner caused their house to catch fire last night.

Two crews from Wisbech were called to the fire in Main Road, Friday Bridge, at 5.08pm.

A fire had broken out in a first floor bedroom of the home.

Firefighters used hose reels to extinguish it and had to cut away at the floor to ensure the fire was out and check for hotspots. Crews also isolated the electrics, which had been affected.

Crews returned to their stations by 6.25pm.

Watch Commander John Chelton said: “This fire was caused by an incorrectly fitted wood burner, which resulted in a smouldering fire starting in and around the wood burner.

“The residents smelt burning and discovered the fire, meaning it was caught in the early stages.

“Damage has been caused to the floor and joists of the property but it could have been a lot worse if it wasn’t detected in the early stages.

“The message here is to ensure any wood burner is correctly fitted; read the instructions carefully and most importantly, make sure you have a working smoke alarm on each floor of your property.”