AN INVESTIGATION has been launched into the cause of a house fire in St Paul’s Cray.

Firefighters were called to the property in Saxville Road at around 12.30pm yesterday (July 7) and spent around two hours battling the blaze.

Around a fifth of the first floor was damaged by the flames but crews managed to stop it spreading to the rest of the house.

At first it was thought someone was in the building at the time of the fire but a search revealed the home was empty.

An investigation team from New Cross fire station is looking into what caused the fire.