THREE people, including an elderly woman, had a lucky escape from a house fire in York.

York Press:

At its height, flames at the Alne Road house in Tollerton reached 20 feet into the air, according to neighbours, who had to be evacuated due to toxic smoke coming from the burning building.

York Press:

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said a 52-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of arson and remained in police custody on Thursday.

Bethany Seivewright and her brother Kailum were asleep in the house next door when they were awoken by firefighters banging on their front door.

They said the three residents had all managed to escape the burning house, but they had been lucky.

Bethany said: "It was terrifying.

"The young woman had to carry the older one out of the house, because the guy was in the back garden and couldn't come in and help.

"The fire service said the fire was that hot that even with their suits on they couldn't enter, they had to move the fire so they could go in.

"They wouldn't let us come back to lock the house, because the smoke was too toxic."

York Press:

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said the blaze spread into the roof of the semi-detached house in Tollerton, but firefighters managed to prevent it spreading into neighbouring properties.

Bethany said: "The women were covered in soot. The younger is blonde, but her hair was black. The older woman was worried the man was stuck in the house, she didn't realise he was in the garden, so must have woken up to the fire, not him shouting. Nobody knows what happened."

Police said they were called to the scene by paramedics at 2.35am and enquiries were ongoing "to determine the circumstances around the incident".

A spokeswoman for the fire service said said three people escaped from the house before firefighters arrived, and were taken to hospital for precautionary check-ups.

She said a small fire in the garden spread into the house and crews from Acomb, Easingwold, Huntington and York, and the aerial ladder platform from Harrogate, went to the fire, which was reported at 1.44am.

"Crews used twelve breathing apparatus, four hose reels and the aerial ladder platform to fight the fire and stop it spreading into neighbouring properties," she said.

York Press:

The fire led to the main road through to Alne being blocked to all traffic.

John Morgan, who lives in the village, was heading to start an early shift at work at 3.30am when he saw the fire.

“I was on my way to work and couldn’t get past because the road was closed,” he said.

“There were three fire engines and two other fire vehicles which were across the road so you couldn’t get past, all with their blue lights flashing, and smoke coming from a house."

Anyone who saw anything suspicious or has information which could help police should phone 101 quoting reference 12190064669.