60 firefighters tackle thatched roof blaze in Gillingham
The house has been severely damaged
60 firefighters were needed to tackle a blaze in the thatched roof of a house in Gillingham.
The blaze broke out at around 2.15pm yesterday afternoon.
At the height of the incident, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service had 12 fire crews in attendance from Gillingham, Wincanton, Shaftesbury, Mere, Sturminster Newton, Tisbury, Salisbury, Sherborne, Castle Cary and Yeovil.
An aerial ladder platform was also provided from Salisbury, alongside water carriers from Yeovil and Wilton, and support appliances from Gillingham, Salisbury and Ferndown.
A spokesperson for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said:
"Crews worked hard to strip away the thatch and extinguish the fire, which had taken hold within the roof space. The occupants were safely outside when we arrived, and a salvage operation has brought their possessions to safety.
"We remained on scene throughout the night, scaling back our attendance to just one crew, who are still dealing with hot spots within the building, and this is likely to continue through the morning.
"The house has been severely damaged by the fire, which started accidentally in the chimney."
Langham Lane remains closed, and will stay closed while firefighting continues, although the other lanes have reopened.
There are road closed signs in place and people are still asked to avoid the area.