Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 11/05/2011 16:41

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is offering free home fire safety checks to people who live in thatched roof properties to help them ensure that the risk of fire in these distinctive and often historic buildings is kept to a minimum.

CFRS Group Manager Andy Barrett said: “Over the last month or so we have had a number of thatched roof fires and when a fire takes hold in such a property the damage can be devastating. We want people who live in thatched properties to contact us so that we can offer free advice and also so that we can build up information about the property and save valuable time, in case the worst should happen, by sending the right resources to any incident and be able to isolate utilities if necessary.”

CFRS want to know

· the address of the property including postcode or map reference if possible;

· the size of the property including number of rooms and number of floors;

· the location of isolation points of utilises (gas/electric);

· how the property is used.

CFRS have produced a Thatch Cottage Fire Safety leaflet which offers advice and will also be happy to send a prevention officer to premises to carry out a home fire safety check and install smoke alarms if appropriate.

Contact Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service on the free fire safety phone line 0800 3581 999 or write to Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, Old County Hall, Station Road, Truro, TR1 3HA

Related item: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=27918