FIREFIGHTERS were tonight tackling a blaze that broke out in a Southampton home.

Residents living near to the home in Lordshill inundated the fire service after hearing a loud bang.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service deployed crews from St Mary's, Hightown and Redbridge stations to tackle the blaze that began shortly before 10pm.

Wearing breathing apparatus firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze that had started in the living room on the ground floor at the back of the property on Northholt Gardens.

Neighbours spoke of seeing the back of the property a blaze after hearing some sort of explosion coming from the two  storey home.

Jane Alexander, a resident living nearby said: "There was a massive bang, we thought someone was whacking the front door, we looked out and the neighbours were running around like mad.

"I just feel sorry for the people coming back to it, it is really terrible for them."

Fearing that the family may be in the property some neighbours attempted to get into the property in a rescue bid.

Connor, 19, and his dad Steven Hyde who live next door described how they smashed through the front door but were quickly beaten back by the intense smoke.

Steven, 46, a carpenter, said: "I just wanted to see if anyone was in there. You just go numb it is just instinct. It is scary when you actually see for yourself how a house can go up like that especially when it is next door."

He described seeing smoke issuing from the front of the home with flames coming out of the windows at the back.

A Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman confirmed that 16 firefighters had been involved in the operation.

The homeowner was thought to be out for the evening and no casualties were reported. The cause of the fire is now under investigation.