FIREFIGHTERS from across the York and Tadcaster area have tackled a blaze at a house in York.

Crews were sent to the terraced home in Argyle Street, South Bank, at 3.40pm this afternoon following reports of smoke billowing from the property.

Fire investigation officer Dave Winspear said that when they got there, they found smoke coming out of first floor windows.

He said they entered the building and found the seat of the fire at the rear of the property in a small porch off the kitchen, where it appeared an electrical device might have caught fire.

“The fire has been fairly well contained in that area but then eventually the doors failed and let smoke spread throughout significant parts of the building," he said.

A 2 by 2 metre area was badly damaged by fire, he said, adding that no one was in the building at the time.

He said:"I would like to stress that smoke alarms are essential to safety within the home and you need to make sure that if you have got them, you test them, and if you haven’t got them, you either install them or contact your nearest fire station to ask them to come out and do a home fire safety check with you.”

The occupants of the house did not wish to be identified but praised the efforts of the firefighters, who came from York, Acomb, Huntington and Tadcaster fire stations, in bringing the fire under control.