A WOMAN who was rushed to hospital after her home was destroyed in a blaze has been re-housed.

The 59-year-old’s home was engulfed by flames after the fire took hold in a bedroom of the split level maisonette.

The woman was helped out of the three-storey building by passers-by and later taken to Southampton General Hospital with smoke inhalation.

Three friends who were visiting a relative in a neighbouring block in Northam, Southampton, described how they braved the blaze to alert residents and help get them out.

A spokesperson from Southampton City Council said: “The council is working closely with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service to investigate the fire at Shannon House, a three-storey council housing property in Northam.

“Preliminary reports indicate the flat that was the likely source of the fire did as it was designed to do and contained the fire.

“If a tenant is unable to re-occupy their flat following a fire, we will provide alternative accommodation for them, as we have done for the woman affected at Shannon House.”

As reported the three friends who alerted residents to the blaze were Jake Rodwell, Steve Slaymaker and Nathaniel Wreford from Thornhill.

Jake, an events organiser, said: “She was screaming and saying ‘my bedroom’ so I dragged her away from the flat. She was just by the front door. She was a nervous wreck.”

Watch manager Nigel Cooper from St Mary’s fire station described the fire on Kent Street, which broke out in a bedroom, as ‘severe.’ There was also some external damage to neighbouring flats.

Road closures were put in place at the junctions with Graham Street and Howell Close.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation although Hampshire police have said it is not thought to be suspicious.

It is understood the woman has a teenage son who was not in the flat at the time of the fire.