Fire tears through Newport house

Sixteen firefighters were called out this afternoon to a blaze which broke out at a house in Newport.

A member of the public who spotted smoke pouring through the windows of the mid terraced property raised the alarm.

Crews from Wellington and Newport were called out to the house in Upper Bar Westfield, near the Cottage Care Hospital.

The female owner of the house was already out at the time the blaze started. She was uninjured. Investigations were this afternoon under way into the cause.

A spokeswoman for Shropshire Fire & Rescue said the call had come in at about 2pm from a member of the public who had seen the fire. The spokeswoman added: "She managed to get to safety and was uninjured."

Fire crews used a hose reel jet to put out the blaze and cleared smoke from the property with a ventilation fan.

Crews remained at the scene this afternoon.

Neighbour Nigel Borrett said: "I was walking by and smoke was pouring out. As I was shouting the fire engine came. Smoke was coming through the front door and it was pitch black smoke."