A COUPLE were forced to flee their burning home after being alerted to the blaze by a passer-by.

Rebecca Offredi and husband Christopher were at home in London Road, Benfleet, when their loft-based boiler erupted into flames.

Halstead Gazette:

Damaged - Part of the roof and loft were gutted

They were only alerted to the blaze by a man walking past who spotted the roof was on fire.

If he had not been there, Mrs Offredi fears she and her husband would only have known about the fire when the burning ceiling fell upon them.

The 33-year-old said: “I was home with my husband and we were not doing much.

“The electric tripped so I went to the fuse box and a man was knocking on the door and shouting, when I opened it he said the roof was on fire.

“I came out and there were flames all over the roof and the tiles. I didn’t know where my husband was and I could hear the flames roaring in the roof.

“It wasn’t safe to do anything so we just got out quickly and by this time the roof tiles were blowing off the roof.

“The fire crews were really good and it did take them a bit of time to put it all out.

“They said it was the boiler and they had to isolate the gas supply.”

The university student added: “I think the damage comes to a lot of money.

“We’ve lost lots of stuff such as our mattress and bed. I am at university studying an embroidery degree and I have lots all my work.

“The ceilings are down in the upstairs of our home. I am glad that nobody was hurt and I think it could have been a lot worse.

“It’s obviously not ideal and I think if was going to happen I am a bit glad it happened to us rather than someone with young children, as we don’t have any children.”

Mrs Offredi said the support in the community had been amazing and she thanked the man who knocked on the door to alert them.

She also said the couple are so grateful to everyone in the community for the support and to the fire crews.

Mrs Offredi said: “It’s difficult to know what to do first.

“We can’t stay here and we have been staying with some friends who are in the area.

“We had smoke alarms but they did not work.”

Three fire crews rushed to the home at 2.51pm on Wednesday.

Watch manager Gareth Critch said: “When the occupants discovered the fire they immediately got out, stayed out and called 999, which is absolutely the right thing to do.

“The roof was badly damaged, there was water damage on the first floor and smoke damage in the property.”

A friend of the couple set up an online funding page and has collected more than £1,200.

To donate see www.gofundme.com and search Nicole Kent.