A fire has devastated four thatched cottages in Dorset.
Around 75 firefighters fought to put out the blaze on 28 January in Sutton Waldron, near Blandford, using ladders, hose reel jets and compressed foam. Crews from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, supported by Wiltshire and Hampshire, were called at 11.45 am and had extinguished the fire by 2.40 pm.
The roofs of all four properties were severely damaged.
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| Images: Dorset Fire and Rescue Service |
Fire investigation officer Clem Stanley said the fire was accidental but that the extent of damage was so severe that the exact cause may never be determined.
"The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but I can confirm that the cause was accidental”, he said.
“Early examination of the site indicates that it may have started in a chimney but of course there may be other factors, the evidence of which has been totally destroyed. We are talking to the occupants to try and build a clearer picture but it may well be that we will not be able to determine how it started due to the extent of the damage."
