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Fire wrecks Hickling Hall Grade II-listed building Hickling Hall fire: Grade II-listed building destroyed
(about 3 hours later)
A Grade II-listed building in Norfolk has been destroyed in a fire.A Grade II-listed building in Norfolk has been destroyed in a fire.
Dozens of firefighters from across Norfolk were called to Hickling Hall, Hickling, at about 19:50 GMT. Dozens of firefighters from across Norfolk were called to Hickling Hall, Hickling, at about 19:50 GMT on Friday.
Norfolk Fire Service said the three-floor hall, situated on a farm, was "fully involved" in the fire.Norfolk Fire Service said the three-floor hall, situated on a farm, was "fully involved" in the fire.
The cause is unknown. Roy Harrold, Norfolk's deputy chief fire officer, said: "With the nature of a building fire this intense, it's difficult to get back inside safely." Roy Harrold, Norfolk's deputy chief fire officer, said: "With the nature of a building fire this intense, it's difficult to get back inside safely." A fire investigation is now under way.
He added: "There will be pockets of fire hidden underneath debris and rubble in the building." "We were called to a chimney fire, but the first arriving crews sent a message back immediately to say the fire was spreading to a bedroom upstairs," said Mr Harrold.
"Unfortunately, there were not very good water supplies in the area and the crews were unable to contain the fire and the whole properly was lost.
"It's a shell, the entire interior was destroyed, it's very sad to see as it was clearly a lovely building."
At the scene: Alex Dunlop, BBC Look East
Standing just 20 yards from the house it's completely gutted. Puffs of smoke still come from near the chimney where it's thought the fire started.
From where I'm standing I can see the first floor no longer exists, there's no roof - it's a very sorry sight.
Stewart Ellis, the owner's son, said his distraught father managed to get out of the building but had been left with just the clothes he was standing in.
The smell of smoke hangs in the air, you can see embers still burning and the red brickwork of this 18th Century house is charred.
The ceiling is clearly in a very dangerous state and it's unlikely this historic home can be resurrected from the ashes.