Swindon fire: 'Discarded cigarette' caused blaze which severely damaged four homes

• Video from the scene shows the extent of the damage caused by the blaze.

A discarded cigarette is believed to have started a large fire which severely damaged four houses in Swindon.

Firefighters think the cigarette then went on to set a fence and bushes alight before the homes caught fire.

Crews were called to Walter Close just after 3.10pm yesterday afternoon (14 July) after receiving reports of the blaze.

Around fifty firefighters attended the scene, those numbers have now been scaled back as the incident was brought under control and the fire extinguished.

No one was injured in the fire. Fire crews will return to the scene this morning (15 July) to further investigate the cause of the blaze.

• Watch Dean Hoskins from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service give a statement

Dean Hoskins from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "It looks like we've had a discarded cigarette that caught a fence alight and then all the bushes and that behind it because they're so tinder dry.

"Thankfully all the properties have got fire alarms in them so that alerted the occupants to the fact that there was a fire and all the neighbours got everybody out and all the pets as well."