A CANFORD Cliffs man is devastated after a severe fire gutted his home Thursday morning, leaving one of his pet dogs dead after it succumbed to toxic fumes.

More than 20 firefighters from Westbourne, Poole, Hamworthy and Redhill stations tackled the fierce blaze at the detached house on Compton Avenue.

Two of the owner's dogs were trapped inside the building when the fire broke out. One was rescued, but the other was overcome by smoke and died at the scene.

Investigations have revealed that the blaze was probably sparked by a faulty TV or video player left on standby.

Neighbours raised the alarm after spotting smoke and flames pouring from the house at 9.50am.

Station manager at Westbourne fire station Phil Abraham said: "The first crews on the scene found a very well developed fire in the kitchen area of the building.

"We think it had been burning for some time before it broke out."

A neighbour added: "At first, I thought it was just a little garden bonfire, as I could hear all this crackling.

"By the time I got round to the front of the house to have a look, the fire was well underway."

When fire fighters arrived, they launched an immediate search and rescue operation, as they had reports that a cleaner and the two dogs could be trapped inside.

It turned out that the woman was not at the house that morning, although the dogs were still in the building.

Ten fire fighters using breathing apparatus worked their way through the house, fighting the fire, ventilating the smoke and searching the building.

Station officer Abraham said: "It was very hot in there, with very thick smoke. Two or three rooms were severely affected by the fire and the rest of the house was smoke-logged."

Firefighters managed to rescue one of the dogs safely, but the other, a nine-year-old pet, was overcome by the thick smoke and fumes.

Station officer Abraham added: "We tried to resuscitate the dog when it was recovered using oxygen and CPR techniques, but unfortunately it had succumbed to the smoke."

The owner returned from work to find his home wrecked by the fire, with smoke damage throughout the building.

Working smoke alarms had been installed in the house, said Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, who warned householders not to leave their TVs or videos on standby when they go out.

Station officer Abraham also added: "This could be a warning to some people who don't fit smoke alarms because they believe their dogs will raise the alarm in the event of a fire.

"Unfortunately, dogs succumb to smoke earlier than humans do."

First published: October 21