Thatch fire during Saturday's FBU strike

A thatched property in Fyfield, near Pewsey has been significantly damaged by fire.

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service was called to the house at 5.45pm yesterday evening and eight fire engines were sent from around the county.

Unfortunately, there was a very strong wind at the time of the fire, and this caused the flames to spread rapidly throughout the roof and first floor.

Area Manager Julian Parsons said: “Thatch fires are notoriously difficult to deal with and, if the fire has spread throughout the roof before the firefighting operations begins, there is little we can do to save the property. The strong winds on Saturday night fanned the flames to the extent that the damage was beyond control very quickly.”

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Thatched roof fire sees planning consultant's career goes up in flames

Chris Board, 37, had his Essex home damaged in a fire in May 2011 He repaired the roof with new timber but did not seek planning permission, thinking he didn't need to as the changes didn't alter the house's appearance. But now a fine of £1,000 (plus £3,000 in costs) may be the least of his problems, as Board fears no one will want to employ a planner who has himself been convicted of committing a planning offence.

Read the full story in the Daily Mail here.

Firefighters tackle cottage blaze near Watlington

Eight firefighters helped fight a serious house blaze that could have spread to neighboring houses if it had been left for a few more minutes.

The fire took place at a thatched cottage in Cuxham village, near Watlington at around 6.10pm yesterday.

Smoke was coming from the living room area on the ground floor and eight firefighters were needed to extinguish the serious blaze to stop it spreading to the thatched roof and houses next door.

Seven fire engines from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the house.

Station Manager Bob Speakman said, “This unfortunate incident could have been far worse had the fire taken hold of the thatched roof.

"As it was, the right resources were put in place and quick intervention by crews prevented the spread of fire from the living room area.

“I am convinced that given only a few more minutes left unchecked, the fire would have spread to the roof, causing extensive damage and the threat of spread to other surrounding thatched properties.”

Read the full story here

Preventing a fire

The thatch is designed to repel water and so for a Fire and Rescue Service this makes it a difficult task to extinguish such fires. - prevention is essential, detection is often too late.

The following fire safety advice is recommended for everyone living in thatched buildings:

• it is important to insulate the chimney flue to prevent the heat from transferring into the thatch layer. This is especially important when a solid fuel or wood burner is installed as they burn at higher temperatures (300°C to 600°C) than conventional open fires
• have the chimney swept regularly by a qualified chimney sweep. A chimney in regular use should be swept twice a year.
• don’t burn wet or unseasoned wood as this will lead to a greater build-up of soot deposits in the flue and have the brickwork and rendering checked by a professional builder/qualified chimney engineer. If in doubt, fit a suitable steel insulated liner
• consider a system of heat sensors within the thatch around the chimney. This will give you an early warning of any overheating of the thatch
• if you are undertaking renovation work or re-roofing, consider forming a fireproof barrier between the roof timbers and the thatch layer
• ensure that the top of the chimney stack is at least 1.8 metres (about six feet) above the ridge. This will allow sparks to die away before they drop on to the thatch.
• spark arresters can help prevent fires, but they must be kept clean. This should be done every 3 months on chimneys in regular use
• fit smoke detectors in the roof space – these should be linked so that a detector operating in the roof space will activate the other detectors in the property
• if you have any painting or plumbing work done involving a blow torch, be sure the person undertaking the work has a suitable fire extinguisher to hand
• all electrical work should be carried out by a competent professional
• wiring in the roof space should be checked regularly
• install an outside tap with enough hose to reach around the house including the roof. This can be used to extinguish any fires at an early stage
• avoid having bonfires/fireworks near thatched buildings – and make sure your neighbours are aware of the danger to your home from their bonfires/fireworks
• be extra vigilant if bonfires are being lit nearby
• use a bulkhead type light fitting in your loft space
• never burn rubbish or garden waste near the property
• where television aerials cannot be fitted to a freestanding pole, the aerial should be fixed to a gable or gable-end chimney, where the cable can be run down the wall, avoiding contact with the thatch

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Fire chiefs issue stark warning to West Country thatched property owners

WITH the winter months approaching, fire fighters in North Devon are urging householders to ensure their chimney is safe.

Last year in North Devon and Exeter there were 238 fires, and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Services had attended 75 in the area so far this year, including a chimney fire in Holsworthy yesterday (Thursday) evening.

Lee Shepherd, who has been a fire fighter at Barnstaple since 2002, is a registered chimney sweep and is urging people to keep their houses safe.

He said: “I’ve been sweeping over North Devon since 2007 and to date I have issued over 700 chimney certificates, given a lot of advice and learnt a lot along the way from many experienced builders and roofers.

“One of my elderly customers had been suffering from severe headaches for more than five years, and was prescribed various medications for this from her GP.

“Her routine would be to sit in front the gas fire every night and she would go off to bed very sleepy around 9pm.

“What they didn’t know was that she was suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, as the gas fire’s chimney had a large nest restricting the vent of fumes and gases escaping.”

Alan Kyle, watch manager at Bideford Fire Station, said: “With the colder, winter months looming, people will begin to start using open fires and their chimneys again.

“In order to keep you and your family safe from fire, you need to take necessary steps such as ensuring your chimney is swept regularly, depending upon what fuel you burn, and I would urge all householders to have a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in their home.”

The fire service is also writing to all thatch property owners across Bideford, Barnstaple and Exeter to offer advice on keeping their homes safe.

“Although thatch fires are not common, over 90 per cent of thatched roof fires start as a result of a faulty flue or chimney,” added watch commander Kyle.

“The thatch is designed to repel water which makes extinguishing such fires difficult.”

See the full story in the North Devon Gazette here.

Thatch fire aftermath

The East Anglian Daily Times carried dramatic pictures this week showing the devastating effects of a thatch fire in Brettenham Road, Hitcham.

Click here to see more images.

Thatched cottage saved by firemen

FIREFIGHTERS prevented a thatched cottage in Cuxham being badly damaged by a blaze. 

They were called to the house at about 6.30pm on Tuesday and spent two hours tackling the fire. 

Seven fire engines from Henley, Wallingford, Thame and Abingdon arrived at the property where smoke was billowing from the ground floor. 

Eight firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire, which was caused by an open fire in the living room that had been left unattended. 

A water carrier, incident support unit, control unit, rescue tender and aerial ladder platform also attended. 


Station manager Bob Speakman said: “This unfortunate incident could have been far worse had the fire taken hold of the thatched roof. 

“As it was, the right resources were put in place and quick intervention by crews prevented the spread of fire from the living room. 

“I am convinced that given a few more minutes left unchecked, the fire would have spread to the roof and caused extensive damage.” 

He urged householders with open fires to use a guard and to have a working smoke alarm. 

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