RESIDENTS in Carlisle were left shocked and concerned when the sky was filled with smoke and flames could be seen as high as a house.

Firefighters from three stations were called to Dalston Road yesterday after two garages caught fire and the blaze spread to the adjoining two properties.

Among those inside one of the properties at the time was a girl, who was unhurt in the ordeal. Occupants from the two homes were evacuated as firefighters tackled the flames inside.

Smoke could be seen pouring out of the first floors of both semi-detached houses.

Kevin Elsworth, 31, who lives next door to one of the properties, was among those who called the fire brigade.

He told the News & Star: “Me and James dashed around the back and saw a few flames. We were going to try and put it out ourselves, but we’d have had no chance. The flames went up fast.

“You couldn’t see much after that, it was all smoke.

“We rang the fire at 2.15pm. The flames were probably as high as the roof.”

Eyewitness Adam Morrison, 15, added: “We got here about 20 minutes ago. We were on Wigton Road and we saw the flames.

“When we came down both garages were on fire and the house was catching fire.”

The blaze had burned away most of the garage roof on the worst of the two affected properties, with smoke stains all across the outside wall.

Across the road in the R.L. Hair Studio were Adele Dockerty, 41, and Catharine Bone, 22.

Adele, who owns the salon, explained what she witnessed.

“What it looked like was a little bonfire, like a bad BBQ. Then we saw the orange flames and we thought ‘oh my’.

“The flames were at least to the guttering, if not higher. Smoke was completely blocking the road – you couldn’t see the road.”

Noticing that one of their customers lived at one of the affected properties, they rushed across the road to help.

“We went over to get her and a guy was already knocking on her door.”

Adele explained how she brought her across the road while firefighters dealt with the blaze.

Crews from Longtown, Brampton and Carlisle East Fire Stations tackled the blaze. Two breathing apparatus wearers from Carlisle, two from Longtown and two from Brampton helped to stop the fire from spreading further.

No one was believed injured.