A SHOCKED resident has spoken of the terrifying moment he rushed home to rescue his beloved pet dogs from a massive blaze in Jaywick.

Alex James, 25, has been left devastated after the fire caused major damage to his home in Hillman Avenue.

Firefighters were called to the property shortly before 2pm on Sunday after a fire started in a shed in the back garden and spread to the roof.

Mr James, a self-employed salesman, had only lived in the property for three months.

He said: “I was out at the time it started, but my dogs – a border collie and a shih tzu – were at home.

“I was at the top of the road and saw smoke, so I ran home and saw my neighbour spraying the shed with a hose.

“I just ran straight into the property and got my dogs out.

“I looked out the back and saw huge flames. All of a sudden, the flames burst through the windows – it was really scary.

Gazette:

“I ran back to the front room to grab what I could, but within 10 to 20 seconds the whole room filled with smoke, so I just got myself outside and didn’t go back in.

“The fire service were there within five minutes, but by then the roof had caught fire.

“Everything had been destroyed.”

Mr James said most of his possessions have been destroyed and that he is now staying with friends.

“It is dangerous inside the building as the roof could collapse, but we’ve been trying to salvage what we can,” he said.

“The main thing is that no one was here and that we managed to get the dogs out.

“I’m just grateful that no one got hurt.

“The community around here has been very supportive.”

A spokesman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said fire crews from Clacton, Frinton and Weeley were called to the scene.

When they arrived they found the outbuilding building totally alight and the fire had spread to the roof of the house.

Firefighters also requested the attendance of UK Power Network to deal with a fallen power cable.

The fire was extinguished by 5.40pm.

An investigation will take place to determine the cause of the fire.