A FATHER has spoken of his family’s lucky escape after a fire broke out while they were at home, which caused severe damage to the house.

Flames badly damaged the roof and loft of the detached house in Huntington, and the property has also suffered major water and smoke damage throughout.

Eddie Sykes was at work on Thursday when the fire broke out in the loft, but his partner was at home with their four children, aged 11, four, 18 months and 11 weeks.

She managed to get their children out of the house unharmed before calling the fire brigade at about 6.15pm.

About 20 firefighters were sent to the property to tackle the blaze.

Mr Sykes said: “We’re devastated. The fireman says it could be three to six months we are out of the house. The top of the house needs reconstruction work.

“We will rescue what we can but apart from a few items everything has been destroyed by the fire.

“They managed to stop the fire spreading downstairs, but the house has been flooded. There’s no room not affected.

“To see Christmas toys burnt and ruined on the front lawn is horrible.”

His partner discovered the fire after the electrics went off in the house and heard a crackling noise upstairs.

“She went upstairs and could see the fire coming through the loft,” Mr Sykes added.

“The smoke alarms were not going off as the fire was above them.

“The loft hatch is outside the baby’s bedroom where the baby was asleep, which is a scary thought.”

The 29-year-old says he is extremely relieved his family managed to get out of the house uninjured.

“I am just glad my family is safe,” Mr Sykes said.

“It is an eye opener. It could have been much more serious. Had it happened in the night when we were all asleep it might have been a much more serious scenario.”

Mr Sykes, who co-owns Fitness Connection 1079, off the A1079, near Pocklington, was training a client at the gym when he received a phone call from his partner.

He explained: “I got a call from an unknown number. It was my partner calling from a neighbour’s house. I tried to get home as quickly as I possibly could to help my family.

“To get a phone call at work saying your house is on fire is the most sickening feeling. Knowing my partner and kids were at home was frightening.”

Firefighters were at the house for about three hours battling the blaze.

Mr Sykes said: “The fire brigade did a fantastic job.”

Alan Bell, a fire investigator, says the fire service is treating the incident as an accident.

“It is difficult to say exactly what caused it,” he said.