Hot dry weather a factor in Banbury house fire

At about 9pm on Wednesday, June 27, Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire at a property in Nursery Drive, Banbury.

On arrival, the first crew discovered a developing fire at the rear of the house.

Firefighters gained access to the rear of the property via a neighbour’s garden to extinguish the fire using a high pressure hose reel. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus then entered the property to ventilate and remove the smoke using a large fan.

It is believed the fire started in a wooden planter outside and because of the dry weather this then spread to the wooden decking and French-doors at the rear of the house.

Crew manager Mike Aspinall said: “The occupiers of the property were out at the time the fire started, the neighbours were alerted to the fire by smoke issuing from the back garden.

“Realising the seriousness of the situation the neighbour used the garden hose to contain the fire until the fire service arrived.

“The quick thinking of the neighbour ensured that the fire was contained till the fire service arrived and the damage to their property was confined to the outside decking and French doors only.”

The fire service would like to remind people that because of the recent dry weather it is important that hot materials are not discarded where they may cause a fire.

Properties should have working smoke alarms throughout, which are tested regularly.