News

Fire crew issues warning following barbecue blaze

By Tim Tonkin
June 28, 2010

FIREFIGHTERS are warning homeowners to take care with barbecues this summer following an incident in Cove on Sunday.

Crews from Rushmoor fire station were called to an address on Haskins Road at around 1.45pm after reports of a fire at one of the homes there.

The house, which was unoccupied at the time, saw damage to its roofing and guttering as well as to a section of fencing, after a supposedly extinguished barbecue set caught fire in a wheelie bin.

Firefighters claim this action set in motion a chain reaction whereby the bin caught fire, igniting a nearby fence which eventually set fire to a gas and electricity mains box on the side of the building.

Hazard

A spokesman for Rushmoor fire station said: "The homeowner put the barbecue in the bin after it had apparently gone out, but clearly this incident shows that these sets can still pose a fire hazard hours after they’ve supposedly gone out.

"The fence and wheelie bin were completely destroyed and there was also damage to gutters and roof tiles.

No-one was injured in the incident.