FIREFIGHTERS battled to save a man’s beloved pets after a fire ravaged his basement flat.

Firefighters initially feared that residents might be trapped in the three-storey building.

Anthony Last, who lives in the basement flat, was out at the time the blaze took hold.

He said the first he knew of the fire was a phone call from a neighbour.

Mr Last sprinted to his home to find the fire had been extinguished and was relieved to find his two dogs had been rescued by the brave fire crews.

Mr Last said: “Someone phoned me as I was round the corner at a friend’s house.

“I ran straight here and realised what had happened.

“By the time I was there, the fire was already out, the neigh - bours must have called the firefighters.

“They saved my two dogs, Buster and Charlotte.”

A grateful Mr Last added: “They were absolutely brilliant.

“They risked their lives and I want to thank them very much.

“I heard a woman at the top of the building was pregnant and no-one told her there was a fire.

“She only found out when she saw the smoke but I don’t think there were any injuries.”

He added: “I’ve spoken to the landlord and said I’d start moving stuff out but I still just don’t understand what caused it.

“The damage is quite bad. 

“I know how dangerous it can be in these sort of flats. There are a lot of wood surfaces which can easily go up.”

Four fire crews – from Dovercourt, Clacton and Weeley – went called to put out the fire which was in the basement of the building in Orwell Road, Harwich.

There were initial fears someone was trapped but those concerns proved unfounded, a fire spokesman said.

Firefighters using breathing apparatus used two hose reels to extinguish the flames within 20 minutes.

Neighbour Larain Briggs said there was plenty of smoke visible and people in the flats above were being treated by paramedics.

“I saw two fire engines and an ambulance down the road and smoke billowing out of the basement,” she said.

“People were out in the street as well, it looked like people were being treated for inhaling smoke.”

The fire started at about 12.45pm on Friday.

A spokesman for Essex Fire Service said the cause of the fire was believed to be an electrical fault.