SAFETY advice has been offered for the owners of thatched properties in the wake of a major incident in West Somerset where two cottages were destroyed by fire.

After the blaze in Porlock Weir, which lasted all night on Monday into Tuesday (May 1 and 2), Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFR) highlighted free home safety visits it offered to provide fire safety advice to anybody with a thatch property.

A spokeswoman said: “We can provide them with bespoke fire safety advice for their home to help prevent them from having a thatch property fire.”

She said DSFR was not attaching any blame on the Porlock Weir property owners, but the incident showed how quickly thatch fires spread and how extremely difficult they were to extinguish, with many homes ending up being destroyed.

Nearly a quarter of thatched property fires attended by DSFR in the past six years saw the whole building damaged.

DSFR said most thatched roof fires started in the chimney, but could also be caused by poorly installed electricity cables, or embers from bonfires.

Among the recommended safety precautions to reduce the risk of a fire if the thatched property had a chimney was to use a stove pipe temperature gauge which would help keep it at a safe and efficient heat.

Using a stove at high temperatures risks sparks catching the thatch,while using it at a low temperature can coat the chimney with soot and tar which can also lead to a fire.

Another tip was to add a chimney pot, making sure the top of it was at least six feet above the thatch.

Chimneys should also be lined to stop fire gases and sparks from reaching the thatch and they should be swept regularly by a qualified chimney sweep.

The brigade said bonfires, fireworks, and sky lanterns, should not be lit near the property, and neighbours ought to be asked to also be considerate.

Thatch homeowners were advised to make an escape plan in the event of a fire, and to fit an outside tap with a hose which could reach around the building.

The DSFR safety advice for owners of thatch properties can be found online athttps://www.dsfire.gov.uk/safety/home/thatched-properties.