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Stately home 'unsafe' after fire Stately home 'unsafe' after fire
(about 5 hours later)
A Grade II-listed stately home in north Dorset is in danger of collapsing after a fire overnight.A Grade II-listed stately home in north Dorset is in danger of collapsing after a fire overnight.
Up to 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at Holnest Park House near Sherborne overnight. No one was hurt. Up to 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at Holnest Park House south of Sherborne. No one was hurt.
It was thought to have been started by an electric blanket in a flat on the ground floor, a fire service spokeswoman said.
She said the centre of the house was declared structurally unsafe and the ceiling was in danger of collapsing.
The flames spread through the centre of the building, which is divided into seven flats, but crews managed to stop it from spreading to either wings.The flames spread through the centre of the building, which is divided into seven flats, but crews managed to stop it from spreading to either wings.
It has now been declared structurally unsafe and is in danger of collapsing, a fire service spokeswoman said.
It is not yet known what caused the fire but an investigation has begun, she said.
The residents had already evacuated the building when crews arrived shortly after 1900 GMT on Saturday.The residents had already evacuated the building when crews arrived shortly after 1900 GMT on Saturday.
Crews remained at the scene overnight and the fire flared up again in the early hours but has now been put out. Crews remained at the scene overnight and the fire flared up again in the early hours, but has now been put out.
Chief Fire Officer Darran Gunter said: "Crews have worked extremely hard to contain the fire in the centre section of this building and prevent its spread to the left and right-hand wings. The blanket was left on without a thermostat so acted as an unmonitored heating device which did just that, continued to heat until it caught fire Mike Cox, fire investigation officer
"Fortunately no one has been injured and no one has been evacuated, which is always a small positive in incidents such as these." An investigation found the most likely cause was an electric blanket, left on for "some hours".
"The cause of the fire is unknown." Mike Cox, fire investigation officer and group manager, said: "Although no-one was injured in this incident, a substantial amount of damage has been caused to the centre two flats of this imposing property.
"Some very, very simple safety measures would have prevented this happening.
"Electric blankets are perfectly safe to use so long as they are not damaged, are thermostatically controlled, are tested regularly by qualified electricians and are stored correctly, either flat or rolled, not folded.
"In this case the blanket was left on without a thermostat so acted as an unmonitored heating device which did just that, continued to heat until it caught fire."
The mansion dates back to the 18th Century but was converted into separate flats in the modern era.The mansion dates back to the 18th Century but was converted into separate flats in the modern era.