Eight fire crews called to house blaze

Emergency services were called to reports of a fire at Harris Green, near Long Stratton, at 12.20pm today.

Eight fire crews from as far afield as Diss, Wymondham and Wroxham, as well as the aerial platform ladder from Earlham were called in to attend the scene of the blaze.

Firefighters at the scene of a blaze in a thatched house at Harris Green, near Long Stratton. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

Firefighters climbed onto the roof to cut away the thatch and managed to save most of it, but around 20pc of the roof was lost.

Alan Jaye, station manager at Earlham fire station, said: 'What we were faced with when we got here was a fire in the thatched roof. We put an offensive fire fighting tactic in which meant deploying firefighters to the roof of the property on ladders and taking the thatch off to stop the fire spreading.

Firefighters at the scene of a blaze in a thatched house at Harris Green, near Long Stratton. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

'The damage is about 20pc of the thatched roof. Internally we have saved all of the property inside and moved it away to safety. There is also minimum water damage inside as well.

'Firefighters have worked extremely hard to save the property. It obviously could have been much worse. Thatch fires once they get going they are really hard to bring under control.

Fire appliances from across Norfolk were called to the blaze in a thatched house at Harris Green, near Long Stratton. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

'Thatch is built to repel water so we do struggle with them if they are well alight. It is years of experience how you tackle them.'

The woman householder was out of the property by the time fire crews arrived, and was uninjured.

Alan Jaye, station manager at Earlham fire station, at the blaze at a thatched house at Harris Green, near Long Stratton. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'An ambulance and two hazardous area response team vehicles were called to an address in Harris Green shortly after 12.30pm today following reports of a house fire.

'One person was assessed at the scene, but did not require transport to hospital.'

The thatched house at Harris Green, near Long Stratton, that was damaged in the fire. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

The woman was too upset to speak but thanked firefighters for their efforts.

Mr Jaye said: 'She is a bit emotional at the moment as you can understand. But the fact that we have managed to save her property is going to be an immense relief.'

Firefighters at the scene of a blaze in a thatched house at Harris Green, near Long Stratton. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

The cause of the fire is not known at this stage but is suspected to be accidental. An investigation is now under way.