Published: Sunday, 31st May, 2009 9:00am

Family escape roof fire

by Annabel Williams

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A FAMILY had a lucky escape when a neighbour alerted them to a fire in their loft last night.

Four adults and two children escaped without harm from the semi-detached house in Fairwater Drive, Woodley, at around 8pm.

Firefighters from Wokingham Road, Whitley Wood and Caversham Road in Reading spent seven hours using hoses on a raised platform and wore breathing apparatus as they tackled the flames.

The only visible damage to the house was a hole in the roof, though the rooms below were said to have suffered water damage.

The blaze was believed to have been caused by a spotlight in the ceiling.

Red watch manager Phil Holdfold, of Wokingham Road station in Earley, said: 'If you"ve got lots of stuff in your lofts, it"s a good idea to have a clear out because in this case, that"s how the fire got going.'

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