Posted: 16:16 on July 23, 2022
Updated: 18:21 on July 23, 2022
A once thriving coastal village of Brancaster State now lies a blackened shell of its former self, littered with burnt out sheds and vehicles.
Roofless houses just along the horizon as work begins to demolish the buildings.
It comes after a field fire broke out during Tuesday’s heatwave which spread to homes and gardens along the A149 main coastal road.
A chimney falls as demolition work begins at Maggie Edridge’s home which was gutted by fire in Brancaster Staithe – Credit: Chris Bishop
More than 80 firefighters from across Norfolk and further afield were called to battle the blaze.
The fire broke out in dry fields near Dale End at around 5pm and quickly spread through the back gardens to the village hall.
Firefighters put out a bungalow destroyed in the Brancaster fire – Photo: Chris Bishop
Maggie Edridge was walking through the village past the ruins of her former home.
The 83-year-old widow first heard the flames raging among the pine trees in her neighbor’s garden.
Mrs Edridge, who has lived in the property for more than 40 years, said: “It was everywhere and there was nothing they could do.”
Brancaster Parish Council chairman Tom De Winton outside the row of former council houses destroyed by fire in Brancaster Estate – Photo: Chris Bishop
Mrs Edridge was evacuated by her neighbors before the flames reached her home.
However, she lost everything as the fire gutted the four-bedroom property.
“There were so many things that my husband and I had shared together in this house, we had a wonderful library,” she said. “But they’re just things.”
A burnt out van that was destroyed in the fire – Credit: Chris Bishop
Mrs. Edridge is staying with neighbors.
Her two sons, both in their 60s, are flying home from Malta and South Africa respectively to help their mother pick up the pieces.
Down the road, a burnt-out van sits in the street, with the charred remains of a tractor, boats, shepherd’s huts, outbuildings and garden furniture strewn across neighboring gardens.
The fire spread to the rear of these gardens and engulfed four former municipal buildings which stood empty awaiting demolition.
Boat and outboard motor destroyed in Brancaster Staithe fire – Credit: Chris Bishop
Ten new affordable properties will be built on the site by social landlord Freebridge Community Housing.
Then the embers blew up the road, lighting up back gardens, fences and paddocks on the other side.
A firefighter brings his hose to tackle a blaze in Brancaster – Photo: Derek Woodhouse
“It was a tough night,” said Brancaster Parish Council chairman Tom De Winton. “It was a very difficult night.
About 22 people were evacuated from their homes.
Villagers set up an evacuation station at Club 71 and set about procuring food while others blocked the main road.
Debris falls to the ground as a fire-ravaged property in Brancaster Staithe is destroyed – Picture: Chris Bishop
As a steady stream of appliances arrived at the scene, firefighters began to run out of water to battle the spreading flames.
Swimming pools were commissioned, including one holding around 40,000 liters at George Cushing’s bungalow at Dale End.
The remains of a shepherd’s hut after the Brancaster State fire – Photo: Chris Bishop
Meanwhile, a neighbor cleaned out a fire break using a mechanical excavator to try to stop the fire from spreading to homes.
The flames engulfed a number of trees and destroyed sheds, and firefighters were able to save the properties.
George Cushing, Thursford Christmas Spectacular marketing manager in the garden of his bungalow after the fire – Photo: Chris Bishop
“When I came back there were about five firemen in the garden and everything around had exploded,” Mr Cushing said.
“One of them said, ‘Norfolk is on fire.’
“One of them had come from two hours away, from Mandesley.
A burnt out tractor and mower after the Brancaster Staithe fire – Credit: Chris Bishop
The unsung heroes of the night appeared as UK Power Networks workers who isolated the grid around the worst affected area, allowing supplies to be restored to the rest of the village.
Elsewhere in Norfolk, a dozen homes were lost in a fire at Achill, near Wotton, while 60 acres of wildlife habitat was destroyed by fire at Wild Ken Hill, in Snettisham.
The aftermath of a field fire in Ashill which also destroyed a number of homes. – Credit: Sonya Duncan
Mr De Winton said if the wind hadn’t dropped at the height of the fire, the outcome could have been very different for Dale End
“If the wind had gone the other way, the whole estate would have been destroyed – 60 houses,” he said.
“The whole village came together. The people of the village showed great unity, great strength and great compassion. People want to help, people want to contribute.
“The village is still in shock. The parish council is sending listeners out to talk to people to allow people to express their shock and get it off their chests.’
“You watch the news and you’re shocked that this is happening to other people. But it happened to us.”
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