Neighbours have spoken of their shock at the scale of a fire today that ravaged a home in Harrogate and forced a nearby nursery to evacuate.
Firefighters from Harrogate, Knaresborough, Wetherby and Moortown rushed to Avenue Close, off Starbeck High Street, at 9.52am, as reported by the Stray Ferret.
The occupants escaped unhurt but the fire, which is believed to have started in a garage, caused major damage to the two-storey property. However, the fire crews prevented the flames from spreading to an adjoining property.
Firefighters at the scene.
About 60 children from the nursery Nature’s Little Learners, which is also on Avenue Close, were evacuated.
Owner Sam Williams said:
“We followed our fire procedure as soon as we noticed the smoke. The smoke then set off our fire alarm.”
She said everyone had to stay outside for five to 10 minutes until it was deemed safe to return. The nursery had to keep its doors and windows closed to escape the impact of thick smoke.
Lorraine Barnett, who lives in the area, said her three-year-old grandson alerted her to the incident. Ms Barnett added:
“I’ve never seen such big flames. The smoke was up to the roof. Then we heard this loud banging and crashing. Black smoke was coming out for ages.”
Another woman, whose home on High Street is close to the affected property and asked not to be named, said:
“I was in the kitchen and saw the garage was on fire. There was then thick black smoke and flames — it must have happened so quickly. I’ve never seen smoke like it. I called the fire brigade but it had already been alerted by the methodist church.”
Here are two videos taken at the scene, showing the scale of the fire.
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