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Devizes thatched house fire: 'Picture-postcard' home shock | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Fire has destroyed the roof of a "picture-postcard" thatched home in a Wiltshire village. | |
The blaze in Chirton, near Devizes, was tackled by almost 70 firefighters. Salvage work is under way to remove property from the building. | |
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service said crews faced a "big challenge" when they were called out early on Sunday. | |
The house owner and a dog were in building, but it is believed nobody was injured. | |
Ian Jeary, from the fire service, said the alarm was raised by a neighbour who saw flames coming from the thatched roof. | |
'A real shock' | |
"It's a real picture-postcard property and now it's not quite looking like that I'm afraid. | |
"All of the thatch has gone. It's a real shock for the owner," he said. | |
"As is the way with thatched roof fires, it's almost impossible to put them out once they've taken hold because of the nature of the material involved and because it's a roof, which is designed to take water off it rather than soak it in. | |
"We also had a big challenge with [enough] water and access." | |
He said it was too early to say how the fire started, but an investigation was under way. |