A WOMAN has escaped a fire which has left her homeless.

The woman escaped the house fire in Basildon with minor smoke inhalation this afternoon, after a laptop left charging on a bed overheated, igniting the bedding materials.

The smoke alarm alerted her to the fire, which has completely destroyed her home, on Chalk End, at around 12.30pm.

The woman was home alone in the mid-terraced property.

The fire was extinguised at around 1.30pm.

John-Paul Charters, Crew Manager at Basildon Fire Station, said: "Once again having a working smoke alarm has truly made the difference - after being alerted at the earliest possible opportunity, this lady was able to get out of her property safely.

"I would urge anyone who doesn't have working smoke alarms in their home to get in touch - as a Service we come and fit them for free, so there really is no excuse not to have one."