Oxfordshire Fire Service Battle Thatch Fire

Thatch roofs are a good look, but they come with a number of problems that more modern or conventional roofs do not have. They also offer fire fighting opportunities that other roofs do not. After a recent thatch fire in Oxfordshire, station manager Marcus Reay described the new technique they have developed to slow the spread of fire through the roof and property giving more time to save possessions from within. The technique requires specialist crews to climb onto the roof with chainsaws to cut an island in order to contain the fire while the smaller area is then tackled from outside and within.

It is always encouraging to know that our fire fighters are always learning and in return we have a duty to continue learning ourselves. The fire service in Oxfordshire or anywhere else are a last resort. We are the front line staff and have a responsibility to prevent fires in the first place.

If you have a thatched roof over your home or business premises you can find some good advice here and we are here for any advice you might need for fire safety. We have a domestic fire risk assessment and guidance notes here:

• Risk Assessment Form: https://fireandelectrical.co.uk/docs/domestic-fire-risk-assessment-form.pdf
• Risk Assessment Notes: https://fireandelectrical.co.uk/docs/domestic-fire-risk-assessment-notes.pdf

If you need advice for business premises then it needs to be far more bespoke so we are on hand to conduct your fire risk assessments and manage your resulting fire safety plan. The key aspects to remember though are to keep all fuel sources away from heat sources, to have clear escape routes at all times, to have appropriate fire fighting equipment to hand and to ensure everyone knows what to do in an emergency.