13 fire crews called to thatched cottage blaze in north Essex

More than a dozen fire engines were called to a fire at a thatched cottage in Great Horkesley at the weekend. 

Crews from both Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service were dispatched to the blaze in School Lane at about 1.30am on Saturday, November 20. 

On arrival, firefighters found that around 25% of the property's thatched roof, which measures around 25 metres by 15 metres, was alight.

Crews began fighting the blaze from inside and outside the building, — dividing the fire into sectors to allow them to control the fire quickly.

Firefighters needed to manually strip away the thatched roof and prevent the fire from spreading any further, while working with the owner to salvage property from within the premises. 

By 6am crews had managed to remove around 90% of the roof and by 6.30am eight new fire crews had arrived to take over at the scene. 

Station Manager Craig McLellan lead the response and said: "I'd like to thank our crews for their incredibly efficient response to this fire.

"This was a challenging incident in a very confined area, but they worked hard to bring this fire under control as quickly as possible.

"We were also grateful to have the support of the Salvation Army at the scene for refreshments and support for crews - which makes a genuine difference and isn't something we take for granted.

"I'd like to thank them for joining us on behalf of everyone who attended this incident.

"Thank you to everyone in the local area for your understanding."

Crews stayed at the scene during the day on Saturday ensuring the blaze had died down and the area was safe.

Following a fire investigation, it is believed the blaze started accidentally.