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. 

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Crews battle thatch cottage fire

FIREFIGHTERS worked to prevent a thatch roof blaze from spreading after it flared up.

Part of the roof of the cottage in Winterborne Whitechurch was destroyed but Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said it could have been much worse as the fire could have spread to neighbouring properties.

Prompt reporting of the fire and effective work by crews at the scene prevented further damage.

Fifty firefighters in eight engines from across Dorset were involved in the incident which was reported to the brigade at 5.40pm this evening.

The occupier and a neighbour tried to extinguish the fire themselves with a hosepipe before crews arrived.

Firefighters were alerted to Rose Cottages in Lower Street where the thatch around the chimney of one of the properties was alight. Fire engines blocked the small lane which runs from Winterborne Whitechurch towards Winterborne Kingston and the A31.

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Devastation of the house gutted by thatch fire

More than 90 firefighters tackled the blaze at the property in North Weirs, Brockenhurst, throughout the night.

The property belongs to Nic Cicutti and his wife Tina Campbell, who were inside their beloved home when the fire took hold.

They managed to safely escape with their Jack Russell dog Pickles.

Firefighters battled through the night to save the home but were forced to remove the thatched roof.

The top floor has been left decimated by the blaze, leaving it unrecognisable to its owners.

The charred remains of beds and clothes lie where bedrooms once were, and blackened toiletries and a shower cubicle still stand on the bathroom.

Buckets are scattered around the kitchen to catch leaking water through the ceiling as fire crews used tones to extinguish the blaze.

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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.”

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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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