Neighbours have described hearing a “loud bang” and seeing “lots of black smoke” as a fire tore through a house on Portland. 


Firefighters were called to a two-storey house on Harbour View Road at 11.46 this morning. 


The conservatory, first floor and ground floor were affected.


No-one was injured. The cause is being investigated.


Three firefighting crews from Portland, Weymouth and Dorchester attended the scene and police closed the road in both directions. 


Incident manager Bob Terrey, of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, who was leading the crews at the scene, said there was “extensive damage” to the first and ground floor.


He said: “We were alerted to a house fire and on arrival we found the ground floor well alight. 


“The cause of the fire is unknown and there further investigation will take place.”


One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said she was alerted to the fire by a "loud banging noise". 


“I heard the bang and when I came outside there was lots of black smoke,” she said. “I feel really bad for the family; it’s just awful.”


Neighbour Annette Brown said: “I saw the whole thing. I let the dog out but he came rushing back in. There was a loud bang and I went upstairs have a look out of the window. It was well alight. The conservatory was on fire and then the kitchen and bathroom went up. 


“The fire engine got here pretty quickly but it took them a while to put out.


“I couldn’t believe it. I did not expect it. I feel so sorry for the family.”
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said he too heard a loud bang. 


He said: “My next-door neighbours are getting work done and I thought it was what the bang was, it was that close. Then I heard the fire engines and thought it sounded close. The dog started barking so I went out to have a look and saw smoke coming out of the house.” 


A spokesman for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it received many emergency calls to the property. 


They said: "This was a domestic property consisting of two floors, the fire involved the conservatory, first and ground floor of the property.


"Crews used six breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets and one main line to extinguish."