Date: 15th June, 2021
A fire that destroyed a social club and adjoining flat in Bromham yesterday (14 June) started accidentally.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to Bromham Social Centre in New Road at 10.04am, after fire broke out in the roof.
Five fire crews attended, from Melksham, Devizes, Calne, Trowbridge and Westbury, supported by the aerial ladder platform from Swindon and water carriers from Royal Wootton Bassett and Pewsey.
The building’s design and the dry conditions meant the fire was able to take hold quickly.
Station Manager Adam Martin said: “We had two water carriers maintaining a steady supply of water, and we used the aerial ladder platform to get water onto the fire from above; however, this was a very open building, with no real compartmentalisation, so the fire was very difficult to contain. We had to stay on scene for most of the day to deal with hot spots, which were difficult to access because of the building’s instability.”
Relief crews from Marlborough, Westlea and Devizes ensured a presence on site until the stop came in at 10.20pm, and a Devizes crew dealt with a hotspot during a reinspection this morning (15 June).
SM Martin said: “We were very grateful to the local community for the support they showed us throughout this incident, especially the team from the Westbrook Inn, who kindly provided food and drinks for the crews.”
The building was undergoing roof repairs and it is believed that a bird’s nest caught alight during the works, which led to the fire spreading to the whole building.