A COUPLE were forced to jump for their lives from a first floor window as fire ripped through their home yesterday.

The incident at Bournemouth Road, Charlton Marshall, led to one of Dorset’s arterial routes, the A350, being closed for 16 hours while the building was made safe.

Around 45 firefighters from across Dorset were called to the large house at 12.20am.

The man and woman were stranded in their first floor bedroom and were forced to leap to the garden to escape the 40 foot high flames, which destroyed the house.

Fire crews remained on scene as daylight broke, with the A350 shut until 5pm until the building was made safe.

The couple were being treated in hospital for burns, smoke inhalation and injuries sustained when they jumped.

Incident commander Louis Minchella said: “By the time the first crew arrived, they immediately began casualty care of the occupants and established that there was no-one else inside.

“Shortly afterwards, the other crews arrived and began defensive fire-fighting from the outside of the property, since the flames were at least 30 to 40 feet high at this point, so it was impossible to go inside.”

The electricity board, building control and water company were also on scene – opposite the former Subaru garage – and some homes nearby were left without electricity when the supply to the gutted house was turned off.

Mr Minchella added: “We know that they did have smoke alarms but they were not working or tested, which is like having a useless bit of plastic tacked to your ceiling.

“If they had them working, they would have had a much earlier warning signal and would not have lost their home.

“Although we are of course pleased that they made it out alive – it was a very close call.”

The cause was due to be investigated once it was safe to enter the house, but was not thought to be suspicious.