Around 70 firefighters tackle thatched roof blaze in Kirtlington
Crews were called to a property on Crowcastle Lane shortly before 6pm
Last updated 12th May 2025
Around 70 firefighters have been dealing with a blaze at a thatched property in Kirtlington this evening.
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue sent five fire engines to the incident on Crowcastle Lane initially, but requested a further five after realising the fire was in the thatched roof.
The occupants were out of the property when crews arrived, shortly before 6pm on Monday (12/05)
Thankfully, there have been no injuries.
Adam Cook, Emergency Response Manager for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue said: "What we're trying to do now is just try and save as much as we can from inside, but it's really time exhaustive and BA (Breathing Apparatus) crews are working really hard in there."
Adam said that one of the first things they do, whilst trying to control the smoke spread, is to get personal belongings out.
He added: "So we have breathing apparatus (BA) going in and out, then people trying to cut away at the thatch above ... we throw loads of resources at it, but we're just trying to get hold of it now and do as much as we can before the light goes down."
The roof is destroyed and there will be water damage in the house, Adam tells us.
He also said the occupants wouldn't be able to return to the property for at least a couple of days, but that someone in the village had offered them somewhere to stay.
Crews will remain on the scene throughout the evening, although the response will be scaled back.
Adam said Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was likely to have a presence at the scene for 24 hours, as crews monitor the smouldering roof and watch for any flare ups.