NEIGHBOURS of two women forced to jump for their lives after an arsonist torched their home, have spoken of their horror.

The women were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, suffering from head and leg injuries after jumping 20ft from an upstairs window at their home in Troon Close, Thamesmead.

The housemates, who are in their 20s and have not been identified by the police, have since been placed in a safe house.

Police believe the arsonist got into the house before starting the blaze about 2.50am last Thursday. One of the women has told detectives she thought she heard a liquid being poured and then smelled smoke.

The fire brigade received 20 emergency calls about the blaze and crews from Plumstead, Erith and Bexley fire stations battled for more than an hour to bring it under control using three jets, two hose reels and breathing apparatus.

The fire gutted the whole of the two-storey house.

Neighbour Isaac Acheampong, 35, who lives two doors down from the house, woke when smoke began seeping into his bedroom.

He said: “I was sleeping and then I woke to find smoke at the top of the room. I dashed outside and that’s when I saw the flames. The smoke was quite thick and I knew I had to get out straight away.

“My wife, me and our two kids went and sat outside in our car for about two hours while the firemen worked.

“It was frightening and we saw two people taken to hospital by ambulance.” Young mum Rachel Evans, 24, of Fairway Drive, was woken by the roar of the flames. Her flat faces the burnt out home.

She said: “The flames were billowing into the air about twice the height of the house and the noise woke me up at 3am.

“There was a boy and a girl outside the house at about 4pm on Wednesday, they were rowing and acting quite suspiciously.

“It was quite scary really. Lots of people were outside their homes and there were police everywhere.” Police are appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious to call investigating officer Detective Sergeant Kim Elcock on 020 8284 9135.