Horses rescued from stable fire (From Daily Echo)

Horses rescued from stable fire

6:53am Thursday 28th February 2013 in News

ABOUT a dozen horses were saved from a stable in Hampshire last night after the home next door went up in flames.

Crews from St Mary’s, Hardley, Beaulieu, Hythe, Brockenhurst and Eastleigh battled the flames at a farmhouse in Hill Top near Beaulieu in the New Forest, responding to reports that the roof was on fire.

Thanks to a fire alarm people inside the farmhouse were able to escape. But the building was surrounded by stables containing the horses.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Rob Cole said: “The buildings were arranged in such a formation that we had to contain the fire quickly to prevent it spreading to the stables and barn.

“The crews worked very hard in a short space of time to strip the roof tiles to allow us to attack the fire from above.

“Firefighters also entered through the loft hatch to attack from below and surround the fire. The owners of the horses were certainly extremely grateful to see us contain the fire so quickly and stop it spreading to the stables.”

Half of the roof was destroyed by the fire, which broke out around 4.25pm yesterday, and a third of the lounge was also damaged by the blaze which was out by 6.25pm.

The fire is believed to have started from a log burner in the house.