Four young children "could have been killed" when a fire destroyed their Abbey Wood bungalow home and left their three pet dogs dead.

Smoke could be seen for miles around as fire crews battled the bungalow and caravan blaze in Thistlebrook for two hours on Sunday afternoon (April 12).

Fortunately 27-year-old Mary Stewart and her four children, Louie Rose, 10, Phoebe, eight, Billy Dean, five, and four-month-old Johnny, were attending a birthday party, so were not home.

However the family's dogs, Tinkerbell, Stella and Lola, were not so fortunate.

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The fire rages on Friday afternoon

Miss Stewart's mum and the children's grandmother, Miriam Johns, told News Shopper: "Their other grandmother, who lives near them, called me at around 3pm and she was hysterical.

"I drove down and by the time I got down it was 3.35pm and the police let me through.

"I ran up to the site but they said I couldn't go any further.

"It was just black smoke at that stage. There was nothing anyone could do.

"If my grand babies had been in the house when it happened they would have been killed.

"It could have happened in the middle of the night and no one would have walked past and seen the smoke. It could have been much worse.

"They are in a very bad way - they have lost everything."

The 55-year-old claimed there were no working fire hydrants on the site, but Greenwich Council strongly denies this.

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The blaze could be seen for miles

She said: "The people living on the site were going back and forth with buckets to try and put out the fire.

"It's good this community is so close - everyone's been helping out since the fire.

"Thank God no one lost their life."

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The aftermath of the fire

A spokesman for Greenwich Council said: "We understand a fire officer was injured whilst putting out the fire, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery. 

"We also offer our full support to those residents affected by the fire and would urge any residents still requiring support or advice to contact us.

"The Fire Brigade have confirmed that they had no difficulty in accessing a hydrant at the site of the fire.

"There will now be a full investigation into the causes of the fire, and the Royal Borough awaits with interest the outcome of that report."

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The outside of what used to be the home of Mary Stewart, her four children and her three dogs

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: "Our control officers took 22 separate 999 calls to the fire which can be seen from miles around."

Station manager Winston Douglas, who was at the scene, added: "Firefighters were faced with a fire affecting two large caravans and the heat has radiated to a nearby bungalow.

"People evacuated the nearby area before we arrived and there are no reports of any injuries. 

"Fire crews led a horse to safety."

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Sally the horse was led to safety

The Brigade was called at 3.15pm and the fire was under control by 5.02pm. 

Six fire engines and 35 firefighters and officers from Plumstead and surrounding stations were at the scene. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.