Timber frame fires raise alarm for THB

Recent blazes in new timber frame buildings should raise questions over current trends in housebuilding, says the Traditional Housing Bureau.

Recent blazes in new timber frame buildings should raise questions over current trends in housebuilding, says the Traditional Housing Bureau.

During August a blaze in Somerset destroyed a brand new block of flats, and 10 houses on a site in Kent were reduce to ashes by an arson attack.

The four-storey, GBP1.5million block of luxury apartments in Bridgwater was close to completion when it was gutted in the course of a night.

Station Officer Paul Godwin said: "It was as under control as it could be - it's a timber frame building with brick cladding".

"Because of the nature of the building all the fire fighting has to be done from the outside." The next day, the remains of the building were entirely demolished.

In Faversham in Kent, 10 houses were completely destroyed by fire caused by arson.

The timber frame properties were burned to the ground, with the surrounding scaffolding left melted and warped around the void.

Jim Holland, Spokesman for the THB, comments: "These are just two incidents from the many house fire and residential arson episodes that are occurring around the UK.

The THB urges the ODPM to reconsider its enthusiasm for lightweight construction methods, and to reflect on the cost of human life".

"Luckily, on these two occasions the dwellings were unoccupied".

"But Government statistics reveal over 1 in 5 fires in homes are started deliberately, and over 60 people die each year in fires that are started deliberately.".

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