A WOMAN and a child have had a lucky escape after fleeing from a serious house fire.

Fire crews were called to St Hilary Close, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, shortly before midday yesterday.

The woman and the young boy, who is believed to be her grandson, were both treated for minor injuries.

She was taken to the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, for a precautionary checkup.

No one else was hurt.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the property was “gutted”.

Neighbours described hearing the property’s windows “pop” and a sizeable crowd gathered as news of the fire spread.

The woman’s family declined to comment on the incident when approached by The Northern Echo.

A witness, who did not wish to be identified, said: “There wasn’t an explosion, but we heard the glass in the windows popping from the heat. There was lots of smoke and the next thing we knew, a load of fire engines had arrived.

“It seems like half of Richmond has turned up to see what is happening.”

The fire service spokesman said: “There was very severe damage to the ground floor and the upstairs of the property – 100 per cent fire damage to the ground floor and about 95 per cent damage to the upper floor.

“The householder was out of the building by the time crews arrived.”

Crews from Richmond, Leyburn, Reeth and Colburn attended the blaze.

A caravan parked outside the house was also damaged and had to be moved by firefighters.

The fire service spokesman said crews did well to contain the fire, which was in a midterraced property. The cause of the blaze has yet to be determined, but it is understood it may have started while someone was cooking.

A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle were sent to the scene.