A FIRE ripped through the loft of a flat in Horwich and destroyed the roof.

Lee Lane was closed to traffic for most of the morning as fire crews extinguished the blaze and sifted through the wreckage.

Passers-by spied smoke coming from the roof at about 7.30am and called the fire brigade.

The occupant of the flat was at work, but a woman who lived next door was evacuated by members of the public who frantically rushed round the property banging on windows.

Fire crews used an aerial appliance to direct water on to the fire from above, with pumps from Horwich, Bolton North, Bolton Central and Atherton mobilised.

Horwich Fire Station watch manager Glyn McGann said the early signs were that the fire started in the loft because of an electricity overload.

The fire damage was limited to the first floor flat where it started, with the two other properties contained in the building left heavily smoke-logged.

Watch manager Glyn McGann said: “Crews fought their way up the stairs and found the loft hatch.

“When they climbed up the loft was well on fire and there was lots of stuff contained in it.

“The flat next door has been completely saved from fire although it was heavily smoke-logged.

“The man had gone to work at 7am and the lady next door was evacuated by members of the public, although she did also have a working smoke alarm.

He added: “It looks very much at this stage like an overloading of electricity in the roof space as there was a lot of equipment up there.”

Crews worked to clear the fire-damaged items from the loft and used the aerial appliance to remove loose slates from the roof.

The landlord of the building, who lives elsewhere in the country, has been notified.

Firefighters used masks and breathing apparatus to tackle the fire and clear the wreckage, while three pumps were deployed at the height of the incident.

Gary Dalton, who owns neighbouring business Distinctive Gates and Railings, said: “I arrived at work and there was smoke coming out of the roof.

“There were quite a few people on the street making calls to the fire brigade and they were here ever so quickly.

“We didn’t know who was in there but I went round knocking on the windows and the patio.

“Nobody could have been in there because of all the smoke.

“We were a bit worried about next door because the smoke seemed to be coming from there as well.

“We didn’t see any flames, just smoke.

“We did not see anybody about, just a bit of smoke coming from the roof.”

Nobody was injured in the fire and it is not being treated as suspicious.