Firefighters from Great Holm Fire Station are pictured preparing to carry out a reinspection on Sunday afternoon.

1 March 2009

Firefighters worked into the night to prevent a house fire from spreading to an adjacent hotel, restaurant and wine bar on Saturday.

Crews from four Milton Keynes stations were called to the three-storey house in High Street, Stony Stratford, at 8.12pm. They brought the fire under control using three main jets, four hose reels and an aerial jet from a turntable ladder. Sixteen firefighters wore breathing apparatus.

At its peak there were more than 40 firefighters and fire and rescue officers at the scene. An investigation has started into the cause of the fire.

Crew Manager Kevin Bamford from Great Holm Fire Station said: "Our priority ws to stop it spreading to the building next door."

The house joins on to the Different Drummer hotel, Al Tamborista restaurant and Vine wine bar and restaurant.

Fortunately there was no-one in the house. The roof space and first floor of the 20m by 20m building were 50 per cent damaged and the ground floor 30 per cent damaged.

Station Manager Tony Bennett, incident commander, said: "The fire started in a very old terraced building and went undetected for some time. As a result, the first crews were faced with a serious, well-developed fire. 
 
"All crews attending worked hard through the night, performing a magnificent job. They saved the front part of the building and prevented the fire spreading to adjacent historic properties." 

The stop message was sent at 1.45am, but firefighters were still at the scene for another 12 hours, reinspecting and damping down. Part of the High Street remained shut on Sunday morning.

Initial crews from Great Holm, Newport Pagnell, Bletchley and Broughton Fire Statons were joined by the Command and Control Unit, Operational Support Unit and canteen van from Aylesbury.