Two people were rescued from the roof by the fire service

Two workmen were rescued and two people were treated for smoke inhalation after fire ripped through the roof of a Hornsey home.

Firefighters had to use ladders to reach the two men from a flat-roof at the back of the property on Warner Road after the blaze trapped them on the first floor at around 11am today.

A man and a woman - who escaped from the house before firefighters arrived shortly after they were called at 11.06am - both had to be treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Local resident Joyce Rosser described seeing a “enormous amount” of smoke coming from the roof, which - along with the loft - was badly damaged despite crews best efforts.

It took about 25 firefighters half-an-hour to get the blaze under control, and they had put out the last embers in about two hours.

But Hornsey Fire Station’s force manager Mark Jordan said it could have been a lot worse.

“It was one of those incidents which could have progressed into a rather large fire, but hard working crews did a very, very good job.

“The occupants did have a smoke alarm, but in this case it was ineffective because the fire was in the roof - but it is a reminder to people they should have a working smoke alarm.”

He added the cause of the fire was under investigation, but it was not believed to be suspicious.