FIRE crews have launched an investigation into the cause of a blaze that threatened to engulf a Hampshire home.

Scores of firefighters converged on a quiet cul-se-sac in Dibden Purlieu yesterday after residents saw flames shooting from the top of a semi-detached house.

Crews from Hythe and six other fire stations managed to prevent the flames spreading to the rest of the property and the adjoining home.

The blaze broke out in the roof space of a house at the junction of Lodge Drive and Hartley Close just before 11.30am.

The occupants were out at the time and arrived home to find the street full of fire engines and ambulances.

 Lodge Drive was cordoned off by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service but elderly residents returning home and people worried about relatives living near the scene of the fire were allowed through.

Fire crews entered the house and salvaged some of the occupants’ possessions to prevent them being damaged by water used in the fire-fighting operation.

Part of the roof was covered in solar panels but firefighters positioned an aerial ladder platform over the front of the house, enabling them to examine the scene from above and deal with any smouldering debris.

Station manager Dave Graham, the incident commander, said: “A fire was reported in the roof and crews went inside to deal with the incident.

“Good work by the personnel involved confined the fire to the roof space.”

A Lodge Drive resident, who asked not to be named, said: “We’d gone out and returned to find smoke billowing out of the roof. Someone else said he saw flames coming out of the top as well.

“Firefighters got into the property and seemed to put the fire out pretty quickly.

I’m just glad no-one was hurt.”

A Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that an investigation would be held into the cause of the fire but said it was not thought to be suspicious.

The occupants of the house declined to comment.