Five People Homeless After Fire In Grays

14 September 2014, 09:17 | Updated: 14 September 2014, 11:03

Five people have been left homeless following a fire at a flat in Grays.

Emergency services were called to a flat about the Londis shop on the High Street at 5.18am.

The five people living had already escaped befire fire crews arrived. One man was treated by paramedics having suffered breathing difficulties.

The fire had been dealt with by 7.45am.

Station Officer Evan Jelliss from Grays fire station said: "When firefighters arrived at the incident smoke was pouring through the metal roller shutters at the front of the shop and fire crews had to use specialist cutting equipment to gain entry.

"Once inside the property crews in breathing apparatus used two hose reels to extinguish the fire in the shop and flat.

"A family of five had been evacuated from the property by the police before the fire service had arrived. The family, two adults and three children, have been made homeless following the fire.

"Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to the adjacent shops in the High Street."

The fire is believed to have started by an electrical fault in the shop and spread upstairs to the flat.