A WOMAN whose house was severely damaged after fire ripped through her bedroom has praised the fire service for their rapid response to tackling the blaze and ensuring her family’s safety.

The second floor of the Carpenters’ house, in Ashley Place, Warminster, was ruined when a candle in a tealight set fire to a dressing gown and flames spread across the floor.

Delia Carpenter, 67, who was in the house on Wednesday last week with husband David, 12-year-old grandson Jay and their four dogs, said that it was a terrifying experience.

The mum-of-four said: “I had lit a tealight in the bedroom, like I often do, but it was quite windy that day which was causing things to blow about a little bit in the house. I left the bedroom for less than a minute and when I got back to the room, a dressing gown which was hanging from the door, and the door itself, had caught fire. I was absolutely terrified.

“I called my husband who was downstairs. He ran to the room and tried to put the fire out with two fire extinguishers we keep in the house, but it was relentless and wouldn’t go out. It was spreading.

“I called the fire service and we all went to wait for them in the back garden, where we watched the fire grow through the bedroom window. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

“The fire service took around 15 minutes to arrive and were absolutely marvellous. They put the fire out and made sure we were all okay. I really can’t thank them enough.”

Mrs Carpenter has been told the family needs to get rid of all of the affected furniture in the house and lots of clothes were also destroyed in the blaze, which also caused flame and smoke damage to walls.

Later that evening, the family was visited by the Red Cross Fire Victim Support, who sat with them to make sure they were okay and to offer advice.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Fire Service said: “Although tealights have a foil outer container, this is not safe as the foil can get extremely hot.

“When this happens, it can melt the surface it is on, such as the side of a bath or the top of a television. If you use tea lights, make sure they are placed in a proper holder.

“It’s also vital to never leave burning candles unattended. Always make sure candles are secured in a fire resistant holder and away from furniture and curtains.

“We advise to always leave at least 10 centimetres between burning candles, and to never place them underneath shelves or other enclosed spaces.”

The Carpenters will begin to clear up the debris and make repairs to the house at the weekend.