AN ELDERLY couple have told of the dramatic moment they fled when a blaze broke out at newly built Test Valley retirement homes.

Peter and Maureen Mulholland were forced to leave the Renaissance Retirement’s Fleur-de-Lis complex in Romsey just hours after moving in when a generator caught fire and spread to flats in other part of the building - shattering windows and causing balconies to collapse.

Now they have praised local residents for rushing to their aid - likening their actions to the “spirit of the Blitz”.

It comes as developers at the 52-bedroom sheltered housing complex reveal the blaze is likely to have been caused by the ignition of the wooden casing around the generator and have ordered replacement appliances surrounded in heavy duty lead instead.

But the blaze follows complaints from nearby residents that the use of generators to power the building before connecting it up to the main electricity supply was “an accident waiting to happen”.

The blaze broke out in a temporary generator on the Jubilee Road side of the building just days after the company was issues with a noise abatement notice following complaints from local residents at the sounds of the appliances.

The flames rose to the height of three storeys and spread to three unoccupied flats.

The Mulhollands, who had arrived into a guest suite on the Duttons Road side of the complex ahead of moving into a two-bedroom flat they had purchased their after downsizing from their bungalow in Rownhams, were forced to evacuate the building along with 21 other occupants.

Mr Mulholland a retired Ordnance Survey manager, said: “When the alarms went off I didn’t think anything of it - but when I went out into the corridor saying ‘it’s a fire - get out’.

“We had to leave in just the clothes we were wearing. Everything looked normal to us but when we got outside we saw there were massive flames and smoke.”

Neighbours from the Jubilee Road area ran in to help other elderly people escape and offered help and support while the fire brigade arrived.

Mrs Mulholland said: “We were shaken by the fire but the neighbours were marvellous bringing us blankets, biscuits and cups of tea.”

The grandparents - who have childhood memories of the Second World War - said their kindness reminded them of how the country pulled together during the 1940s and Mr Mulholland, added: “It was like the spirit of the Blitz. It has really changed my view on human nature.”

They say they are looking forward to returning to their homes and stressed that Renaissance has done all they can to support them and provide accommodation in a nearby hotel.

Neighbour Nicky Tilbury, 53, from Malmesbury Road, had helped residents with her daughter Claire, 24.

But she said that neighbours had previously complained about noise and the safety of the generators and their safety claiming it was “an accident waiting to happen”.

She said “My daughter ran through a hole in our hedge to the homes to alert people.

“She led a couple on the first floor to safety and another two people.”

“Luckily everybody was out but it could have cost them their lives.”

A 54-year-old woman from Jubilee Road who did not want to give her name, said: “Fire was coming from the generator chimney and the next moment it had quadrupled in size.

“Inside one of the lads working there was coming towards me with a lady in a wheelchair who was really frightened and she was saying she was going to have a heart attack.”

Neighbour Christopher Rosman, 71, said: “It was chaos. The glass exploded and the balconies collapsed. It could have killed someone.”

Around 20 firefighters from Romsey, Eastleigh, St Mary’s and Redbridge arrived and stopped the fire spreading to most of the building.

No residents were injured and were found alternative accommodation following the blaze at 7.45pm on Monday [September 26].

The generator had been installed after the company failed to deliver mains electricity and had to rely on emergency power for their residents in the form of two temporary generators.

Marketing director Chris Wotton said the cause of the fire was likely to be down to ignition of the plywood casing by heated exhaust gasses from the generator.

He said two new temporary generators encased in encased in a lead-lined shipping container will power the building until the complex is connected to the electricity grid by Tuesday, October 11.

He added: “We’d like to thank the emergency services who were there in minutes and did a first class job. I’d also like to thank our residents who have remained in good spirits and gratitude to neighbours on who showed true community spirit towards our residents.”