Shed fire rips through three gardens and two houses in Ipswich

Alan Squirrell los the contents of his garage, which also held his wife's hairdressing equipment, his son's work tools for his electrical apprenticeship, and irreplaceable photographs Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: JAKE FOXFORD)

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service were first called to the scene of the incident in Dryden Road, in the Castle Hill area of Ipswich, at about 4.20pm on June 3.

A fire had broken out in a shed that quickly spread to a neighbouring garden and a third property, leaving two houses scarred with smoke damage and boarded up smashed windows.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

The site of the shed where the fire started on June 2. suffolk fire crews were called to the scene after a shed caught fire and spread to neighbouring homes and outbuildings Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: JAKE FOXFORD)

Alan Squirrell, 49, was at work when he found out about the fire at his home.

"I was at work in Bury St Edmunds when I got a call to say the house was on fire - it's the last thing you want to hear," said Mr Squirrell.

"My youngest son was in his bedroom when it happened, headphones on playing video games.

The asbestos roof of Mrs Stow's shed was damaged in the fire - and embers still burning on June 4 resulted in firefighters returning to the shed on June 4 to remove more items that had reignited Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: JAKE FOXFORD)

"He saw the flames form the garage and ran out of the house.

"Thankfully both my sons are okay but they're not in school or work given what has happened.

"It could have been so much worse though as there was a butane gas canister in the barbecue in our garage that somehow didn't explode."

The fence connecting the three properties in Dryden Road was burned entirely Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: JAKE FOXFORD)

Mr Squirrell's wife and two sons, aged 13 and 17, were all unharmed after the fire.

The family have lost the entire contents of their garage, including irreplaceable family photographs.

Mr Squirrell added: There's cracks in the brickwork, the gas and plumbing had to be shut off - if the damage is really bad we might have to move out for weeks."

Dorothy Stow's shed roof was badly damaged by the fire in Dryden Road, spilling asbestos onto neighbouring properties Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: JAKE FOXFORD)

A resident affected by the blaze, who wished to remain anonymous, saw windows blown in by the intense heat of the fire and lost a collection of drones.

And Dorothy Stow, another neighbour in Dryden Road, said she had no idea there was any danger on June 3.

The 89-year-old said: "I was indoors when the lady across the road knocked and said: 'Dot, you need to get out of your house.'

The garage door on Mr Squirrell's home was ripped off by firefighters on June 3 as they battled a blaze that started in a nearby shed Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: JAKE FOXFORD)

"I came out and saw the flames on my shed and next door's shed and that garage and there was smoke everywhere.

"I was with my daughter until the firemen called to say I could come back and thankfully the house was okay, but I didn't half toss and turn in bed that night."

Firefighters rushed back early on June 4 when a hotspot in her damaged shed reignited a wooden door.

The fire damage reached to the first floor of one of the homes in Dryden Road Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: JAKE FOXFORD)

"I called 999 straight away and told them: 'My shed's on fire again'," added Mrs Stow.

The damage to one of the homes is visible from Dryden Road, with smoke damage melting part of the roof gable and heat destroying the window Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: JAKE FOXFORD)