Date: 13th April, 2017
Crews from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service have spent the night tackling a significant fire in a thatched property in Bishops Cannings.
A 999 call was received at 9.20pm yesterday evening (12 April) for a well-developed fire in a detached house in Chandlers Lane.
At the height of the blaze, there were 11 fire engines at the scene – from Devizes (two), Calne, Melksham, Marlborough, Pewsey, Trowbridge (two), Chippenham (two) and Stratton. Also mobilised were the incident command vehicle from Devizes, an operational support unit from Swindon, and the emergency response volunteers from the British Red Cross, based at Swindon fire station. A building control officer from Wiltshire Council attended at the scene to advise on the safety of the structure.
As well as fighting the fire, crews were able to salvage many of the occupiers’ possessions, including a grandfather clock.
The incident was scaled back at around 2am to a three pump relief, with crews attending from Bradford on Avon, Warminster and Royal Wootton Bassett, and has since been scaled back even further, to a one pump relief for damping down – Westlea is currently at the scene, and another relief is expected mid-morning.
The cause of the fire will now be investigated.