The UK's smallest thatched cottage?

Not ideally suited for those over four foot in height, this is nonetheless a fine example of the thatcher's art.

Dramatic video footage of thatched roof blaze

This report from the Beccles and Bungay Journal includes dramatic video footage of a blaze in the Norfolk village of Brooke. To view the video click here and then click on the YouTube image in the centre of the page.

Crews from Loddon, Carrow, Earlham, Sprowston, Wymondham, Herthersett and Fakenham, the paper reports,  were called to reports of the fire in the roof of the property after the alarm was raised by a member of the public at about 2.45pm on 28 February.

The major fire service response, which included an aerial ladder platform and two water carriers, saw a total of 53 firefighters at the incident at its height.

Station manager Duncan Ashworth from North Earlham went to the property this morning and conducted an investigation which concluded that it was an “accidental fire most likely caused by a spark from the chimney”.

Two appliances, including an aerial ladder platform, remained at the scene to monitor the situation this morning but all crews left by about noon.

Group manager Greg Preston from Carrow, said firefighters had used the aerial platform to “fight the fire from above”.

He said: “On our arrival we had quite a well-developed fire in the roof of a detached property which spread very quickly after we arrived.”

Firefighters remained on scene well into the night to extinguish the fire which caused a considerable amount of structural damage as well as destroying the roof.

No-one was in the property at the time the fire started but while no-one was hurt there was a considerable effort to rescue valuables from the damaged property – including artwork.

Mr Preston said: “There’s an art studio on the left-hand side at the end and so we salvaged the lady’s artwork and looked to get as many valuables out as we could.”

The weight of the roof that had collapsed in addition to the weight of the water being propelled at the fire meant the salvage operation had to be confined to certain parts of the property as there was the potential for further areas of collapse.

There was also concern that a gable end of the property might collapse and fall on to the garage so firefighters ensured the owner’s vehicle was removed.

A preliminary investigation into what caused the fire was started yesterday but with the firefighting operation still ongoing into the night Mr Preston said it would be at least today before a proper probe was likely to get under way.

The owners of the cottage did not want to speak about the fire.

Insurance: counting the cost of the floods

After severe flooding affected vast areas of farmland across the UK, farmers are reckoning the cost in terms of damage to crops, stock machinery, buildings, and infrastructure. Farming UK reports that the total insured cost of the recent floods could amount to hundreds of millions of pounds. 

Read more here.

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.

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.

Firefighters tackle cottage blaze near Watlington

Eight firefighters helped fight a serious house blaze that could have spread to neighbouring 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 more here

How thatched roofed pub landlords pulled back from the brink of ruin after devastating fire

A recent story in the Bridport News reports how two popular East Devon publicans are retiring after coming close to ruin following a devastating that fire several years ago:

Brian Jenkins, 62, and wife Denise Jenkins, 59, have been pulling pints at the New Inn at Kilmington, East Devon, for more than 21 years.

They have led the pub into being one of CAMRA’s Magnificent Seven, as they are in the select group of pubs mentioned in each of the 41 editions of the Good Beer Guide.

The couple’s success was made all the more satisfying after the pub was destroyed by a fire sparked in the thatched roof and was shut for nearly a year for rebuilding.

Mr Jenkins said: “We only had what we stood up in and that was it, everything else was gone. It was devastating, and it plays on my mind now when I start thinking about it.”

After the fire, the pub was rebuilt and reopened.

Read more here

Newbury fire crews partially save burning thatch roof

Newbury Today yesterday reported that fire crews from five stations in the local area battled to save the thatched roof of an East Garston cottage on Sunday evening.

Watch manager Lee Glover, of Blue Watch at Newbury Fire Station said pumps were called at 7.18pm from Newbury, Hungerford, Swindon, Ramsbury and Wantage – around 25 firefighters – to the fire in the thatched roof of a cottage in Station Road.

“The thatch was well alight,” said Mr Glover, adding the cause was believed to be a log burner, lit for the first time yesterday.

Firefighters pulled out thatch either side of the fire, creating a break, to prevent it spreading further.

The thatch was 40 per cent damaged in the blaze.

“Normally we lose 90 per cent in a thatch fire,” added Mr Glover.

The blaze was extinguished by 11pm, when the fire fighting operation was scaled down to two pumps.

No-one was hurt.

One pump was left on watch to ensure the fire did not re-ignite and a Newbury crew inspected the fire at 7.30am today (Mon) when the incident was closed.

The roof was covered in tarpaulin sheets after the fire.

Norfolk reed thatcher at work

Fascinating footage of a thatcher at work from YouTube.

Not exactly a thrilled-packed ride, but well worth a watch for lovers of thatch and thatching.

Radio blaze averted

A serious fire at a thatched property in Three Legged Cross, Dorset was narrowly averted earlier this month after fire crews promptly attended a domestic fire started when a plastic radio was left on an oven hob which was subsequently turned on by accident. Despite sustaining extensive smoke damage, the property was fortunate to be spared worse harm. 

Read the full story in the Daily Echo here.

Artist's impression only.

Latest wood burning stove and thatch incident

This is Somerset recently reported that firefighters were called to a fire at a thatched house in Muchelney near Langport earlier this month.

It was reported that "a fire engine from Martock was sent to the fire involving a wood burner at the property on Manor Lane at around 8pm on Sunday" (4 August) "Crews put out the fire and also dampened the thatched roof as a precaution.

The wood burner was moved to the outside of the house."

Read the full story here

Newmarket thatched property damaged by fire

Hot weather and conifers implicated in East Anglian thatch blaze.

The dangers of wood burning stoves

The Daily Telegraph reports that "thatched cottage owners could be putting themselves at risk by using wood burning stoves in homes where the roofs are unable to cope with the intense heat from the modern wood fires.

There are 400,00 ancient thatched cottages in Britain, many listed as being of special interest, but each winter dozens are lost to fires and fire brigades often point to wood burning stoves as the cause.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service issued the warning after six thatched cottages were damaged by fire, believed to be caused by wood burning stoves, in a three week period.

An investigation into three of the fires, which took place near Andover when temperatures plummeted below freezing this April, found wood burning stoves were a factor in each of the blazes.

Community Safety Officer Paul Francis, who's leading a campaign to encourage thatched home owners to maintain their chimneys, said "Modern enclosed solid fuel appliances are designed to burn at an increased temperature to promote a more efficient 'clean burn'.

“But when fitted in elderly chimneys with only a four-inch layer of brick and a poorly maintained lining, the thatch becomes extremely vulnerable to heat transfer and therefore fire."

The fires near Andover took place between 29 March and 7 April, and saw up to 70 firefighters called out to put out the blaze each time. The fire service has created a ‘thatch pack’ with fire safety tips for owners in a bid to try and avoid more cottages being destroyed, which advises owners to ensure chimneys are swept regularly and roofs are properly lined.

See the full story here.

Thatched cottage on fire in West Haddon

Published on Tuesday 15 November 2011 10:30
 

FIREFIGHTERS were called out to a village home on Tuesday morning which was on fire. 

Four crews of firefighters from across the area were all called to the blaze which started in a storage room at 5.15am. 

The fire was confined to a storage room which house the boiler, which was severely damaged by fire.

Smoke filled the rest of the house and there was also slight water damage to the ground floor. There was also some damage to the roof, caused by an operation to cut away to ensure the fire did not spread to the thatch roof. 

The cause was an electrical fault and the property had smoke detectors which operated.

Dr John C Mitchell