FIRE ripped through a detached house near Brent Knoll last week leaving its owners homeless and their pet dog dead.

The fire service found the two-storey home in Wick Lane, Lympsham, “well alight” when their crews from Burnham-on-Sea and Weston-super-Mare arrived just before midnight on Wednesday, August 19.

A family of four were treated by the ambulance service for smoke inhalation and taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton where one child was kept in overnight for observation. Although the family escaped with their lives sadly their dog, a terrier, died as a result of the inferno.

The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: “An appliance from Bridgwater was sent on along with another appliance from Weston-super-Mare, the water carrier from Bridgwater and the Incident Command Unit from Street.

By 1pm the fire service reported: “Confirmation was received that all utilities have been isolated and that police and ambulance service are in attendance. Crews were still at work using two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet for internal fire fighting, three hose reel jets externally, one safety jet and one main jet pumping from open water. The turntable ladder from Weston-super-Mare was requested.”

The crews stayed on the site into Wednesday morning to dampen hot spots.

The large home is set in grounds complete with conservatory, extension, outhouses, stables and a manage on the road linking Brent Knoll with Lympsham. The fire service said a full investigation into the cause of the fire is underway but they said the blaze appeared to have started in the utility room in a pile of washing.