Solar panel blaze rips through £1.5m mansion
The five-bedroom home in Ferndown, Dorset, was engulfed in 20ft flames on Monday afternoon when the panels ignited.
Firemen said the roof and 'entire first floor' of the detached house were destroyed in the blaze, which its owners survived unscathed.
Neighbours said the panels had only been fitted to the property, which is believed to be owned by a couple in their 30s, in April.
Peter Webb, a 75-year-old neighbour, said he was in his garden when the 'terrifying' fire started.
'My wife [was] gardening and I suddenly noticed this burning smell and said, 'What on earth is that?'' said Mr Webb, a retired special needs specialist said. 'I looked up and saw 20ft high flames shooting from the back of the house and called 999.
'They were tackling the fire from our driveway and there were exploding bangs like an air raid. It was terrifying. Thankfully they managed to stop it spreading to our house.'
Another neighbour, who was not named, said 'most of the house has gone'.
'I spoke to the family earlier and they are doing okay and they were really calm,' the neighbour said. 'They only moved into the house in January.
'I think the owners spent a lot of money renovating it and they put solar panels on the roof a month ago.'
A spokesman for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service said the solar panels were the probable cause.
'We believe the fire started accidentally and suspect the fire started from solar panels,' the spokesman said.
Stuart Gillion, group manager of the fire service, said the fire was 'significant and well-developed' when firemen arrived.
'The two occupants were inside and they were alerted by a fire alarm so they were able to get out,' he said.
Mr Gillion added: 'The entire first floor of the property and the roof have been destroyed, but an early intervention stopped the fire spreading to neighbouring properties.
'It is absolutely heartbreaking for the owners to see the property they had developed and had become their home in this state, but the most important thing is they were unharmed.'
Fire crews from Redhill Park, Springbourne, Poole, Wimborne, Ringwood and Hamworthy were sent to the scene.
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