Firefighters from six stations have been battling a fierce blaze in Hartley Wintney this evening. The fire, which began in a shed, quickly spread and engulfed the roof of the Catholic Church of St Thomas More on Mount Pleasant.
The alarm was raised just before 6pm when a shed went up in flames. The fire rapidly spread to the neighbouring church, completely destroying its roof. Firefighters have described the blaze as well developed, posing a tough challenge.
Local residents jumped in to help firefighters. Together, they removed pews and furniture to save what they could inside the church. One brave resident even tried to douse the flames with a garden hose after the church gardener’s attempt with a watering can failed.
The church gardener suffered burns and was treated by South Central Ambulance Service on the scene. Firefighters in breathing apparatus are still battling hotspots and carefully working to recover items from inside the building.
It’s believed the fire started in a bin before spreading to the shed and then the church. Crews from Hartley Wintney, Odiham, Fleet, Basingstoke, and Yateley raced to the scene. Despite their best efforts, the church roof was completely destroyed in the blaze.
Originally published by UKNIP.
