A WOMAN told today how she returned from work to find her York home ablaze.

Mother-of-two Jane Smales, of Naburn, spotted smoke in the front room of her Vicarage Lane home.

The fire was triggered by a spark from a heating appliance, said firefighters.

Mrs Smales said: "I tried to get in through the kitchen door and it felt like it had exploded. A load of smoke came out, I just had to leave it."

Her husband, Fred, said only the family budgie was in the house when the fire broke out.

The bird died in the blaze, which gutted parts of the ground floor and caused severe smoke damage to the upstairs.

Mr Smales, who runs his own drain investigation company, said: "It is terrible but it is part of life. The main thing is that me, Jane and the lads weren't in. Jane had the dog with her, but it is a shame about the budgie."

Mr Smales said the house and contents were covered by insurance.

He added: "It is a real mess in there. Jane had the place just how she wanted it. People would come in and say it is like a doll's house in here, but all that is gone now."

Assistant Divisional Officer Jez Rushworth, of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, praised fire crews for a quick and efficient job. He said the house next door had been saved from fire damage by the speed the fire was put out.

ADO Rushworth said: "The fire was severe on the ground floor, flames were coming out of the windows.

"Six firefighters using breathing apparatus went in to fight it and another two went into next door's roof space to watch for any signs of the fire spreading. They have worked really well and done an excellent job."

Four fire engines attended last night's fire, which was reported just after 5pm. It was out by 5.30pm.

Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, November 12, 2003