A LIGHTNING strike caused a major fire at two houses that was tackled by 20 firefighters.

Crews from Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, High Wycombe, Hillingdon and Langley were all called to the house in Seven Hills Road, Iver Heath, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

A pair of semi-detached houses were seriously damaged as a result of the fire.

Watch Manager Denis Melia from Gerrards Cross Fire Station, who was in charge of the incident, said: "As further resources arrived, breathing apparatus crews from Beaconsfield and Hillingdon entered both houses. The Beaconsfield team was deployed to the first floor of the first-affected property, as burning debris falling from the roof space was causing small outbreaks of fire. Their quick and professional work meant that no significant fire damage was caused in any area of the property beyond the roof space.

"The breathing apparatus team from Hillingdon entered the roof space of the adjoining semi-detached property to control and extinguish the fire that had spread from the first property. Their excellent work meant that fire damage to this property was kept to a minimum, despite them encountering a well-developed fire, via the difficult access of a small loft hatch, when they first entered the affected area."

A crew from Langley sent to relieve one of the other teams had just come from tackling another roof fire caused by a lightning strike in Wokingham.

Meanwhile a small fire started by another lightning strike at a property in Spinfield Mount, Marlow. A crew from High Wycombe fire station was sent to tackle the fire, but it was out on arrival.