Investigation after house fire

AN investigation is underway this morning after a blaze ripped through a detached property in a west Suffolk village.

Firefighters were called to the Old Rectory in Church Road, Great Cornard, near Sudbury, shortly before 8.30pm last night.

The blaze is believed to have started in the basement of the property and crews arrived just in time to stop it spreading much further - although it did take hold of some of the first floor.

No one had to be rescued from the building and it is understood the owners were unhurt.

Gary Clark, assistant divisional officer with Suffolk Fire Service, said: “On arrival the fire had spread within the ground floor and soon after -because of the construction of the premises - it spread to the first floor.

“The quick response and hard work of the initial crews prevented the fire from spreading to the remainder of the property.”

Mr Clark said he had an idea of the cause of the fire but wanted to wait until the results of the investigation - which is set to start this morning.

Two fire engines from Sudbury initially attended the scene but immediately requested backup and another four appliances from Long Melford, Nayland and Bury St Edmunds were sent.

The ground floor of the detached, two-storey property, which measures 15m by 8m, was well alight on arrival but crews reported that the fire had spread to the first floor of the building shortly before 9pm.

Firefighters used thermal imaging cameras to fight the blaze from inside the property.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the fire on the ground floor and first floor of the property was extinguished at 9.20pm and crews then began to dampen down the property.

Access was also made to the loft area to check whether the fire had spread, she added.

The operational support unit from Haverhill was also called to the scene to recharge breathing apparatus.