Firefighters forced onto roof to put out chimney fire

The blaze started after an object ignited soot in the hearth

FIREFIGHTERS had to use special height equipment to tackle a chimney fire from the roof of a property in Newbury last night.

A crew from Newbury Fire Station were called to semi-detached house in Craven road at around 7pm, following a call from a couple at the address.

A second crew arrived at the scene half an hour later after firefighters had identified the blaze could not be put out at ground level.

In total, eight firefighters were involved in tackling the fire and used a chimney kit, as well as special height equipment, to extinguish the blaze.

This included a ladder measuring 10.5m, a roof ladder and ropes.

In total, firefighters remained on the scene for around an hour and a half.

Crew Manager Martin O’Keefe confirmed the fire started after an object in the hearth set soot in the chimney alight.

The couple inside the property did not suffer any reported injuries during the incident.

But Mr O’Keefe said it served as an important reminder for residents to keep their chimneys in a safe and clean condition.

He said: “Sometimes we go on the roof to extinguish chimney fires, but usually we tackle them through the hearth – it’s not that common to go through the roof.

“I would urge people to ensure their chimneys are swept regularly.”