An investigation into the fire, which gutted a house in Soutergate, Ulverston, on Tuesday December 15, has found that there were no suspicious circumstances.
The owners of the property weren’t in at the time but the fire spread to the properties next door – forcing neighbours to evacuate their homes at around 3am.
Station manager for Ulverston, John Griffiths, conducted the investigation into the cause of the fire.
He said: “We suspect that the fire started somewhere on the staircase, moving from the third floor into the roof space and, because they had a lot of storage up there, it was able to take hold and spread across.
“We suspect it was an electrical fault – wiring that was inside one of the cavity walls.
“I imagine it will have been a long standing problem that has developed over time.
“Because of the time the fire happened, and with it taking hold just above where they would have been asleep, it could have potentially led to fatalities if the owners had been in.”
No-one was hurt during the blaze and five fire engines were called to put it out.
At one point the firefighters had to withdraw from the building as the ceiling collapsed on the first floor.
Mike Jackson and Lesley Sadler have owned the home for 25 years.
The three-floor property was vacant at the time of the fire as Mr Jackson and Mrs Sadler were at their second home in Roose.
With it happening before Christmas and new year it ruined the couple’s celebrations.
Mr Jackson said: “The insurance company are still waiting on some of the reports to come through.
“But, now we are in the new year, we are wanting to move forward as quickly as possible.
“It’s been terribly stressful to go through, especially with it being at Christmas time.
“We want the house rebuilt. I miss living in Ulverston.”
Despite the devastation the fire caused, the residents of Soutergate were quick to praise the fire service at the time.
The day after the fire, Tom Philipson, who lives next door with his family, said: “The fire crew did a brilliant job, despite all the pressure that’s been put on them recently.”
Crews called to Ulverston town centre house blaze
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here