A MAN has been taken to hospital with burns following a fire at his house in Grafton Close in Woodrow, Redditch, earlier today.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) was called to the address just before 12.20pm this afternoon  and two fire crews from Redditch and two from Bromsgrove attended.

The fire, which had broken out in a detached garage and spread to the two houses either side of it, was brought under control by 1.20pm with six firefighters in breathing apparatus, two hose reels and one main jet augmented by street mains.

One man suffered facial burns during the incident and was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

The garage and its contents, including a classic car the injured man was working on at the time, were completely destroyed in the blaze, and there was also a small amount of fire damage to both houses.

Watch Commander Bob Morris from HWFRS explained that the snowy weather made the incident more of a challenge.

He said: “The road conditions were treacherous as crews headed to this incident, with heavy snow falling and several inches of snow already on the ground. We even had to dig down through snow to locate the fire hydrant but at least we knew its exact position thanks to a recent hydrant maintenance programme the Service has undertaken.”

He said that crews were faced with a severe fire in the garage but thanks to the hard work of all those involved, they managed to prevent any further spread to nearby properties.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be established but is believed to be accidental.

HWFRS is urging anyone planning repairs to a vehicle at home or in their garage to be alert to the dangers of working with cylinders, fuel and other flammable liquids. Safety advice is readily available from HWFRS – please call 0800 032 1155 for more information.