Two houses have been left uninhabitable after a bbq fire saw both homes damged.

Firefighters were called to reports of a fire involving two terraced houses in Galleon Road, Chafford Hundred, at roughly 4.45pm yesterday.

The fire had started accidentally by a BBQ in the garden of one property.

The fire spread up the outside of the house and into the roof space. The fire also severely damaged the property next door as the fire spread through the roof.

Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus fought the fire from within the houses and crews also used an aerial ladder platform (ALP) to pour water on remaining hot spots in the roof. Firefighters managed to stop the fire from spreading to the remaining four houses in the terrace.

At 6pm firefighters reported that firefighters were extinguishing hot spots so the incident was able to be scaled down to just two fire engines and the ALP.

The two houses affected by the fire have been severely damaged and are not habitable.