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A FAMILY’S solar panels exploded ripping a hole through their roof while they were inside the house.
Neighbours watched in horror as the family scrambled to safety.
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Footage shows the terrifying moment the roof of the £600k newbuild was engulfed in flames in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
Local resident and off-duty firefighter Robert Shipman was doing DIY when he spotted the inferno.
He followed the smog to the house around the corner and dashed inside to alert the family on Bank Holiday Monday.
Robert said: “As I was coming round the corner I saw a big cloud of smoke. 
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“I banged on the door and said I’m an off-duty firefighter can you please get out your house – it’s on fire. 
“The family didn’t realise their roof had gone, they were on the first floor. 
“They got out and we managed to get two of their pets out.
“We knocked on the next door neighbour’s door and said there’s a fire, get out.”
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Robert managed to evacuate neighbouring houses with the help of two other off-duty firefighters who lived nearby.
He said: “You could see some really thick orange flames coming through the loft hatch. 
“Where things had fallen off the roof it set fire to the door.
“I saw some Ring doorbell footage – I’ve never seen anything like it the roof just went.”
At least four cars parked in the area were damaged by the blaze as tiles fell down from the roof.
Residents living nearby described their horror at watching the family rush to safety.
One local said: “It happened so suddenly, one minute the roof was smoking a little and the next it was a raging inferno.
“People around here are speculating the solar panels may have overheated but there’s not much left of them.”
Neighbours helped affected families as firefighters worked to control the blaze.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Five crews and an aerial appliance from Moulton attended the fire and quickly worked to extinguish the blaze which had started in the roof of the house.
“Three adults and one child were helped from the house by an off-duty firefighter. 
“After an initial fire investigation, the fire is believed to have been started accidentally.”
A spokesman for Northants Police said: “Emergency services are at the scene of a major house fire in Wellingborough which started shortly before 10.45am on Monday.
“At least four fire appliances are at the scene of the blaze, at a detached new -build property in Prospero Drive. Nobody is believed to be inside the property.
“Police have closed a number of roads in the immediate area of the blaze which is also blowing smoke across the nearby A509. 
“Members of the public are being asked to avoid the area and to close windows to prevent smoke getting inside.”
The houses on the estate were built by David Wilson Homes, part of Barratt Redrow.
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A spokesperson said: “Our priority is supporting the residents affected, meanwhile we will provide any assistance required to the Fire Service as it investigates the cause of the fire.”
Fire investigators have launched a probe into the cause of the blaze which they believe was started accidentally.
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