Lucky escape after Fakenham fire

Adam Lazzari Firefighters are investigating the cause of a fire in Fakenham which completely gutted a garden shed and resulted in a lucky escape for a couple and their pet cockatiel.

Adam Lazzari

Firefighters are investigating the cause of a fire in Fakenham which completely gutted a garden shed and resulted in a lucky escape for a couple and their pet cockatiel.

Sylivia Gibson, 69, and her husband David, 74, were watching television at their home on St Peter's Road when they were told by a neighbour that their back garden was on fire.

Mrs Gibson said: “My immediate concern was for our pet bird because it was in a cage in the back garden. I rushed out and took it into the front and I believe it was a neighbour who called 999.”

Mrs Gibson estimates that the flames were about two feet high and believes the fire, which started at around 8.15pm on Sunday, was started by a discarded firelighter.

She said: “We were out in the back garden 20 minutes earlier with our two grandchildren trying to set off one of those Chinese lanterns, but we couldn't get it going. We threw a firelighter, like you'd use on a barbecue, onto some bricks and didn't think anything of it. Maybe there was some petrol on those bricks and I believe that's how it started.

“I'm not bothered abut the shed, and there was nothing in there of any value, I'm just relieved that nobody was hurt. Fortunately our grandchildren had left by the time the fire started.”

Neighbour Frank Lewis, 66, who took these spectacular pictures of the fire and the firefighters at the scene.

Two appliances from Fakenham attended and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used main and hose reel jets to extinguish the fire and thermal image camera to check for hot spots.

A spokesman for Norfolk Fire Service said: “The cause of the fire is under investigation. There are a number of potential causes but none of them are conclusive at this stage.”