NEIGHBOURS spoke of witnessing a man jump from a window of a blazing house.

The home was left wrecked after the large fire tore through it. Residents looked on in despair from the street as fire crews battled the blaze in Whitebirk Road, Blackburn.

Eyewitness said flames could be seen bursting out of the bottom window and thick smoke billowing out of the roof.

Both floors of the house were damaged and all the windows had been smashed.

A man was treated by the ambulance service for burns after witnesses said they saw him jump from a window.

Sharon Loftus, 42, a Whitebirk Road resident, said she was worried for the people who lived near the house.

She said: “I saw a man stood in the front garden and my partner said he saw him open the front door and lots of smoke came out. There was a lot of fire and I couldn’t believe what I could see.

“I phoned the fire service and they told me they were already aware of the fire.

“The house looked ruined. There was lots of people out in the street wondering what had happened.”

Road closures were put in place by police while firefighters extinguished the fire.

Another resident said: “I was worried the fire would spread to my house.

“I was sat outside while the fire burnt everything inside the house. It was very scary.

“The fire brigade were very good at putting the fire out and making sure no one was inside.

“The flames were two yards high coming out of the window.”

A fire service spokesman said two fire engines were sent to the scene but a further two were needed to cope with the blaze.

He said: “We used four breathing apparatus, two hose reels and two extractor fans to extinguish the fire.

“Nobody was rescued but there was a man being treated by paramedics at the scene.

“It is believed he had jumped from a window. He was taken to hospital.

“The fire is being treated as suspicious.

“An investigation to establish the exact caused will be launched alongside the police.”

A police spokesman said anyone with information should call the police on 101, quoting log 1571 of July 20.

Police said a 40-year-old man from Blackburn was arrested on suspicion of arson.