More than 60 firefighters battle country house blaze
A FIRE has engulfed a country mansion, tearing through much of the property’s roof.
Aerial footage showed flames and a large plume of smoke rising from the property in Hampshire on Sunday night. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Emergency crews from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service were called to Curdridge Court near Southampton about 7.25pm.
In the footage, firefighters can be seen racing around the grounds of the residence as they try to control the inferno, with the fire service confirming it took more than 60 people to tackle the blaze.
A spokesman said: “The roof had been destroyed and the ground floor had suffered significant water damage. Teams have attended this morning to continue damping down hotspots.”
Firefighters reportedly battled the fire until the early hours of yesterday morning.
The fire services were being assisted by two ambulances at the scene, but there were no injuries.
Crews were still on the scene and are expected to remain in place for the rest of the day, the fire service said yesterday.
Phil Sommereux, who lives opposite the home, told the Hampshire Chronicle: “We were watching a film when my wife stood up and said she could see flames and we realised it was a house on fire.
“I went over there to see if I could help. We didn’t know if anyone was trapped. I called the fire brigade on my way over. Luckily everybody was out and the fire brigade was there.
“It was pretty dramatic. It’s certainly very upsetting for the owners who have been there for about 35 years.
“We obviously feel very sorry for the owners who are now presumably homeless for some time. I expect there will be a lot of support for them.”