Colin Clayton ran outside to find his bungalow ablaze and firefighters already at the scene.
But most of the chalet bungalow in Dunnings Road, East Grinstead, was wrecked.
Mr Clayton, 43, said: "I rushed out but it was too late to do anything. There was already a crowd outside and the house was well alight. I couldn't get near it."
The alarm was raised by Christine Naughton, 20, barmaid at the Dunnings Mill pub, as she returned after a night off.
Police and fire investigators are still investigating the cause.
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