Firefighters ripping out thatch to stop house fire spreading

The blaze broke out in the detached property on The Street, Framingham Pigot, near Norwich, at about 8.15pm.

The two occupants were able to get without being hurt.

Ten fire crews are fighting to save a thatched house after its roof went up in flames. The blaze broke out in the detached property on The Street, Framingham Pigot, near Norwich, at about 8.15pm. (Image: Archant)

Fire crews are on the roof, ripping out thatch in a bid to create fire breaks to stop the flames from travelling.

Group manager Duncan Ashworth said there were 10 fire crews, plus support appliances.

Group manager Duncan Ashworth (Image: Archant)

He said: "On this occasion, it looks like we've managed to intervene in the thatch itself, and create fire breaks.

"It is a very labour intensive job as it's basically getting people on the roof, stripping away the thatch itself and stopping the burning thatch from getting any worse.

"They are also working on salvaging goods from the property. But at the moment is looking like we've got there quick enough and the intervention is working'

"Although the property will be damaged by the fire it will not be destroyed."

Fire crews are on the roof, ripping out thatch in a bid to create fire breaks to stop the flames from travelling. (Image: Archant)

He added: "We have to rotate the crews for their own welfare, to make sure that they're not getting overly tired by it.

"And it takes a lot of people to do that. So we've got crews working on both sides, front and back of the property."

Mr Ashworth said there had been a number of recent thatch fires, partly because April had been so dry.

The crews were working in shifts in the property to help tackle the fire. (Image: Archant)

He said crews were likely to be at the scene into the early hours "to maintain a watching brief to make sure nothing reignites".

He said: "Often if the fire is fully developed by the time you get there, there's really very little that you can do to stop the fire from spreading and really damaging the property.

"This property is fairly close to Norwich, so it allowed us to respond quickly and make those interventions which seem to have paid dividends."

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Ten fire crews are fighting the blaze that broke out in the detached property on The Street, Framingham Pigot, near Norwich. (Image: Archant)