Fire alarm saves thatched cottage

A THATCHED cottage was saved from major damage on Friday after a fire alarm alerted the owner that a blaze had broken out in the roof. Roger Brown had been away in London, and on his return lit a fire in the grate as well as switching on the central heating to warm up his house at Short Green in Winfarthing.

A THATCHED cottage was saved from major damage on Friday after a fire alarm alerted the owner that a blaze had broken out in the roof.

Roger Brown had been away in London, and on his return lit a fire in the grate as well as switching on the central heating to warm up his house at Short Green in Winfarthing.

“After about 20 minutes my partner, Lorraine, said 'There's a smoke alarm going off, is the roof all right?' I walked outside and said 'Yes everything is fine' And then I thought - no, it ain't,” he explained.

“I saw the roof was smouldering and told Lorraine to phone the fire brigade. I got out a hose pipe and soaked it down.”

The fire service was alerted at 4.55pm, sending four fire crews from Diss, East Harling and Attleborough, as well as a control unit from Wymondham and safety unit from Dereham.

They were able to contain the fire, stripping away the thatch to expose the base of the chimney, which is where the fire had started.

“These chaps have done a wonderful job. There's about 30 of them here and an ambulance as well,” said Mr Brown.