IN PICTURES: Man injured as blaze rips through Cannock house
A man suffered minor burns to his hands after he escaped from his house as fire ripped through the property in Cannock this morning.
The home on Railway Street, in Norton Canes, was left completely gutted following the blaze which ignited after an electrical fault at around 9.40am.
Fire crews were called but the man and woman living there managed to get out before they arrived.
The man also suffered smoke inhalation as well as the damage to his hands.
Three fire crews attended, one from Cannock, Chase Terrace as well as a third from Bloxwich, in Walsall.
An appliance fitted with an aerial ladder platform, from Longton, was also requested so the blaze could be tackled from above.
The flames were put out before 11am but crews remained at the scene throughout the morning leading into the early afternoon.
The house was left with the front doors ripped off while windows on the first floor were left hanging down the wall of the property.
Black scorch marks could be seen at the front of the home.
Bloxwich Fire later released photos that showed the inside of the building was completely gutted.
Initially a structural engineer was called to assess the wreckage as cracks near the windows and doors prompted fears the building remained unsound. But it was declared safe soon after and firefighters began checking for hotspots.
Fire crews later confirmed that the fire started due to a fault in the mains intake board.
Neighbour, Ron Stephenson, who lives two doors down, said: "We were getting ready to go the doctors at about 9:30am when I heard someone in the street shouting 'have you called 999?'"
"The owner was standing outside in a dressing gown wearing no shoes.
"It really is sad to see there's no doubt about it - they've only been in the house six months and are good hardworking people.
"The people next door were evacuated because one of them burnt their finger and a took in bit of smoke but luckily no one was seriously injured.
"We have got to work together and help them as much as we can now.
He added: "The fire service have been brilliant - you've got to give them 100%. I don't know when they were called but it didn't take them long to get here. They did a great job."
