Occupants of a house in Petwyn Close, Ferndown managed to escape when the terraced property caught fire on Sunday 13 February, but sadly a pet cat lost its life.

At 12.23pm fire crews from Ferndown and Redhill Park were mobilised to reports of the fire, which had spread from the ground floor to the first floor.

They requested support and at the height of the incident, 20 firefighters were on scene from Ferndown, Redhill Park, Poole and Ringwood.

Crews used four sets of breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets as well as other firefighting equipment to bring the fire under control.

Unfortunately, the entire ground floor and some of the first floor was badly damaged by fire, heat and smoke.

Station manager Dan Perrett, who attended the incident said: “We believe the cause of this fire to have been a tumble dryer in the kitchen.

“Due to the lack of internal doors, the smoke, fire and heat was able to travel quickly, and the property has suffered serious damage.

“We believe the occupier noticed the fire before it was detected by the smoke alarm, escaped from the property and called 999.

“This action undoubtedly saved their lives. I would urge everyone to check they have working smoke alarms at home; these should be tested weekly.”