A fire has destroyed a semi-detached house and a car in New Malden, a suburb of south west London. The blaze erupted on August 22 at around 9.35pm, engulfing the ground floor and first floor of the home on Mount Pleasant Road.
Roof hole and charred solar panels
Photographs shared by the fire brigade show the fire, which raged until 1am on August 23, ate a large hole in the roof. Charred solar panels can also be seen, with the now burnt insulation covering the front of the two-storey building also exposed.
A car parked in the front garden and the carport – which shelters vehicles from rain or snow – were both destroyed. A gas cylinder was removed from the property and 'cooled it to an ambient temperature as a precaution, as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat', the fire brigade said in an incident report.
No injuries reported
No one was injured. The cause of the fire is unclear.
Station Commander Steve McGhie, who was at the scene, said the 70-strong crew had to tackle the blaze from above. 'The fire was producing smoke that affected the local area,' he added. 'Residents nearby were advised to keep their windows and doors closed where possible.'
