THIS is the moment an inferno raged through a suburban home after the roof was struck by lightning.

The freak event is thought to have caused a blaze which wrought significant damage to the home after neighbours heard an “explosion”.

House roof ablaze with bright orange flames and thick black smoke, with onlookers in the foreground.Aghast neighbours look on at the roaring blaze Credit: UKNIP A house roof is engulfed in flames with large plumes of black smoke rising into the sky.The roof was completely burnt through after the incident Credit: UKNIP

Footage shows roaring orange flames behind the facade of a house in Emersons Green, , on Monday evening.

Neighbours look on as the fierce flames break leap high above the roof, which looks to be completely destroyed.

Just a few charred beams can be seen remaining in the video of the shocking incident.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service received a report that a fire had broken out at a property on Wadham Grove at around 5.55pm yesterday.

Firefighters on an elevated platform hose down the burned roof of a brick house.The occupants had reportedly safely evacuated the home Credit: SWNS Firefighters working to control a blaze near Bristol that was reportedly caused by a lightning strike.Firefighters put out the flames, thought to have been caused by a lightning strike Credit: SWNS

Laura Sibley, who lives in a nearby estate, told The Sun the lightning strike sounded like an explosion.

She said: “I was upstairs and it was dark. I heard an explosion and it was terrifying. I’ve never heard anything so loud before.

“Thankfully the house is semi-detached and it didn’t spread further. I’m glad they got out okay but it must have been very scary for them.”

Video shows firefighters running bravely towards the blaze, tackling the flames with high-pressure fire hoses from a fire engine stationed outside the house.

A huge plume of dark grey smoke can be seen billowing from the semi-detached home.

As it continues to burn, neighbours and passers-by gather around to watch the spectacle, agog at the ferocity of the blaze.

The fire service said: “Upon arrival, crews found the house well alight with significant damage.”

The service said crews from Kingswood, Temple, Southmead, Patchway and Portishead fire stations were called to the scene.

They managed to extinguish the majority of the fire and remain at the site checking for hotspots.

Eyewitnesses told Bristol Live that the occupants safely fled the flames, with the fire brigade turning up quickly.