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Home » News & Events » 2013 » May » Update following fire at The Anchor Inn, Malvern

Update following fire at The Anchor Inn, Malvern

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Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) was called to the incident just before 10am following reports that the roof of the pub was on fire.

Initially two fire crews from Malvern attended but finding a severe fire that had broken through the roof of the property, extra resources were requested and further fire engines from Hereford and Worcester fire stations were also dispatched to the incident along with the aerial ladder platform from Worcester. Police also attended, managing the cordon and road closures.

The fire, which had spread from the roof space into the first floor of the pub, was brought under control with 10 firefighters in breathing apparatus, two hose reels, two main jets and the use of thermal imaging equipment.

While everyone was safely evacuated from the pub and no one was injured, the fire caused extensive damage to the roof, collapsed ceilings and significant smoke damage throughout the property.

Fire crews (two fire engines and the aerial ladder platform) remain at the scene cutting away and damping down, and fire investigation is now underway to determine how the fire started.

Station Commander Toby Kempton from HWFRS said: “We could see immediately that this would be a challenging fire to tackle as the building is of a complex design and the fire was difficult to locate as it travelled through hidden voids in the roof space.”

He confirmed that the fire was brought under control shortly after midday although fire crews are likely to remain at the pub for some time to come.

He added: “As they were tackling the fire, firefighters came across a significant quantity of fireworks stored in the loft space of the pub. Thankfully these were recovered and safely removed from the premises but they could have presented a very real danger to our crews if they had caught fire and exploded.

“We would remind people, business owners and householders alike, that for safety reasons, fireworks should always be stored in a sealed metal container in a cool, dry place.”

He also advised that any unused fireworks are disposed of rather than stored for long periods. He recommended contacting the manufacturer or supplier of the fireworks for advice on this or visiting the Keeping Your Family Safe section of the Royal Society of Prevention of Accidents website at www.saferfireworks.com .