Firefighters Tackle House Fire in Allington, Maidstone, Overnight

Firefighters spent almost six hours tackling a house fire in Kilndown Close, Allington, in the early hours of this morning, with six fire engines and a height vehicle sent to the scene.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service was first called just before 2am, sending six fire engines and a height vehicle to Kilndown Close. Crews wearing breathing apparatus used main jets to fight the fire, and residents living or travelling nearby were advised to keep windows and doors closed because of smoke coming from the scene. By 6.30am, four engines and the height vehicle remained, with crews making what the service described as "steady progress" - and members of its Volunteer Response Team were on hand to support affected residents. One person was checked over as a precaution by SECAmb paramedics, though no injuries were reported. The fire was declared extinguished at 7.45am, just under six hours after the first call, and the advice to keep windows and doors closed was lifted. An investigation into the cause is now underway.

It's the second time Kent Fire and Rescue Service has been called to Allington inside a fortnight - crews tackled a separate recycling centre fire in the area on 10 October, sending seven engines and a height vehicle to a blaze unrelated to this one.

Source: Kent Fire and Rescue Service