Two house fires in less than 12 hours leaves woman dead after blaze near Kings Lynn and house seriously damaged in Chatteris

Crews tackle a house fire in Chatteris. Picture: CAMBS POLICE. (Image: Archant)

At Watlington a woman in her 50s has died after a house fire yesterday afternoon.

And in Chatteris a house undergoing renovation was gutted by fire in the early hours of today.

Flames swept through the terraced house in Tithe Road, Chatteris, and fire fighters from across the area were called.

A Norfolk Police spokesman said: “The fire took place in Cecil Close, Watlington, at around 3.45pm yesterday afternoon.

“A woman aged in her 50s was found inside the address and taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn.

“We can now confirm the woman sadly died in hospital earlier today. Next of kin have been informed and at this stage the death is being treated as unexplained.

“A seal remains in place at the property and investigations are continuing to determine the cause and the circumstances leading up to the fire.

“No further details relating to the deceased will be released at this time.”

The cause of the blaze at Chatteris, which has caused extensive damage to the empty two storey house, is unknown. A fire investigation will be carried out to determine its cause.

At 1.37am, crews from Chatteris, Sutton, Manea and March, along with the Multistar aerial appliance from Stanground, were called to the fire.

A fire service spokesman said they arrived to find the blaze had taken hold.

“Smoke and flames were issuing from the roof,” said the spokesman. “The crews extinguished the fire using hose reels and jets. The adjoining properties were evacuated as a safety precaution.

The crews returned to their stations by 5.30am, almost four hours after they were called.

A fire investigation will be carried out to determine the cause.

Workmen at the house later confirmed the elderly resident was not there when the fire broke out.