Historic 17th century thatched barn destroyed in fire
A large blaze has destroyed a historic 17th century thatched barn in Denchworth, South Oxfordshire.
Local residents described the blaze that broke out at around 3am on 11th March as “horrific”.
70 firefighters attended the fierce blaze trying desperately to prevent the flames from spreading to neighbouring homes. Many trees were cut down to stop the fire spreading further.
The flames were so severe that at one point firefighters were unable to walk past the buildings due to the intense.
The barn was part of the Denchworth Manor which is a Grade II listed building. It was recently sold by Savills UK for around £4.75m.
Eye witness, Rosemary Jones said: “It was horrific when we looked out the window and saw the flames going up, especially as we live in a thatched building.”
Mike Jones, added: “We were concerned about it spreading until we spoke to the fire chief and they said it was under control. But if the wind had been up and coming from that direction everyone would have had a problem.”
Another local resident from Denchworth said: “It was one hell of a blaze. I was standing 200 yards away and I could feel the heat. From what I could see the firefighters could not put it out, but they contained it from getting to the manor house or any other buildings. They did a great job. But they were beautiful, elegant thatched barns with a lot of history and significance to this village. It is a disaster to this area.”
During the fire, electricity pylons were damaged, cutting power to the community for over an hour.
David Heycock, Fire service group manager said: “The spread of the fire was so quick we were unable to prevent the loss of the building.”
An investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out.
Christmas Day takeaway fire
A fire broke out at a Bridgewater takeaway on Christmas Day.
Several nearby homes were affected and many occupants chose to evacuate. One woman required treatment for smoke inhalation.
The fire broke out at the Flames Grill and Pizza Time, in St Mary Street at around 1pm.
Mendrens Sam who runs the takeaway said: “We were quite busy and I only went out of the shop for half an hour and when I came back there were fire engines outside. This is life and it happens to everyone. There was no fire damage to the shop and we hope to open in a couple of days. It was smoke from an air compressor at the back of the shop. It will affect my business.”
A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire Service said: “Damage was sustained to the storage area at the rear of the property and smoke damage to the shop and flats above.”
The cause of the fire is thought to have been due to an electrical fault.
Man rescued from house as sofa goes up in flames
A man was rescued from a fire at his home after a passer-by and a policeman jumped in to help.
Taffy Prosser and Sergeant Carl Jones helped the man escape from his flat in Grenville Road, Dines Green, Worcester at about 3pm on Wednesday.
Mr Prosser who was flagged down by a neighbour said: “He was telling me to leave him and I said, ‘no way’. Then the sergeant came in to the flat and helped me and we just got him out. We had to find something to put him on so we got this commode. I couldn’t see anything, but we got him out. I was trying to find him and I could hear his voice. It was scary. A lot goes through your mind.”
The duo had to break down the front room door and get the burning sofa out of the building in an attempt to stop the fire spreading further.
Sgt Carl Jones said: “People will come together to help their neighbours. I was just pleased [Mr Prosser] was there and we were able to get the guy out. It was a big relief and I’m told he’s on the mend.”
Neighbour, Mrs Thomas praised the pair for their bravery: “They deserve an award. It was horrendous really. It was a bit of luck [Mr Prosser] was coming by because I couldn’t get [Mr Johns] out. I’ve never known anyone so brave.”
Watch Commander Dave Smith, from the local fire service said: “The fire involved an older style foam-filled sofa that did not conform to British Standards for domestic furniture and the smoke it gave off was dense and highly toxic. Those involved in the rescue undoubtedly saved the man’s life.”
He also reminded people that upholstered furniture sold in the UK after 1988 must conform to fire safety guidelines and urged everyone to check that their own sofas and armchairs do comply with these regulations.
All were taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation. Mr Prosser, Mrs Thomas and Sgt Jones were all discharged that evening, while Mr Johns remains in hospital but is expected to make a full recovery.
Two people die in Hastings caravan blaze
Two people have died in a caravan fire at Combe Haven holiday park in Hastings.
When firefighters arrived at the blaze at around 10pm on 13th August, the couple, both in their 40’s were unconscious.
A fire service spokesman said: “Sadly, in spite of efforts to resuscitate them, they were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. A third appliance was subsequently dispatched, and the fire was extinguished by 11.14pm using hose reel jets and foam.”
A Sussex Police spokesman said: “At 2210 on Saturday August 13, emergency services were called to Combe Haven Caravan Park in Harley Shute Road, Hastings, where a fire within a caravan had been reported. Tragically, the two occupants – a male and a female in their 40s – were declared deceased at the location.”
An investigation into what caused the fire will be carried out by officials.
Historic Dunstable pub destroyed in arson attack
A thatched pub in Dunstable has been destroyed in a suspected arson attack.
The Norman King pub in Church Street, Dunstable started at around 00:15 on Thursday.
The thatched building was undergoing refurbishment and luckily was empty when the fire broke out.
Bedfordshire Police said the incident was being treated as arson.
30 people from a neighbouring hotel were evacuated due to the large amount of smoke. No one was injured in the incident.
Dave Fothergill from the fire service said: “The fire had spread very quickly by the time we got there, and the fire fighters had to work extremely hard to remove the burning thatch fro the roof to save the building, as well as neighbouring properties threatened by the severe fire. Having the two aerial platforms from Bedford and Luton fire stations proved to be invaluable. We were able to place them above opposite corners of the building and this gave us great coverage to tackle the fire, as well as the opportunity to see the extent of the fire spread, so that we could tackle the fire where it was most needed.”
An investigation into the cause of the fire will now be carried out.