Cordon lifted and residents allowed home after Peterborough blaze

Firefighters have thanked residents for their patience after tackling a blazing gas pipe in Peterborough for more than 12 hours.
By Mark Edwards
Published 16th Aug 2020, 13:30 BST
Residents evacuated to The Cresset after a fire in a gas main at Bretton. Pictures David LowndesResidents evacuated to The Cresset after a fire in a gas main at Bretton. Pictures David Lowndes
Residents evacuated to The Cresset after a fire in a gas main at Bretton. Pictures David Lowndes

The major incident saw more than 80 residents evacuated from their homes in Bretton to the nearby Cresset Theatre as a huge operation was put in place to tackle the fire.

A Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue statement said just after 12.30pm today (August 16): “The cordon has now been lifted, and all those who were evacuated overnight can now return home. A huge thank you to everyone for their patience while we’ve been dealing with the incident.”

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Peterborough police said a small number of residents were still not allowed home while the area of the blaze is assessed.

Residents evacuated to The Cresset. Pictures: David Lowndes.Residents evacuated to The Cresset. Pictures: David Lowndes.
Residents evacuated to The Cresset. Pictures: David Lowndes.

They said: “Pleased to update the Bretton Fire has been extinguished by Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue. Most residents have returned home with a handful still evacuated whilst the area is assessed.”

Group commander Danny Kelly who was in charge of the incident said in a video post: “Our crews initially responded at just after midnight to a fire in the open, when they arrived they were faced with a severe fire in a gas instillation to the rear of some properties.

“We immediately made for additional resources and the crews here have done a fantastic job with protecting all the properties around the gas main.”

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Crews were called to the blaze on Hyholmes, North Bretton at 12.31am this morning (Sunday, August 16),

Residents spent several hours at The Cresset while emergency services brought the blaze under control.Residents spent several hours at The Cresset while emergency services brought the blaze under control.
Residents spent several hours at The Cresset while emergency services brought the blaze under control.

Crews from Dogsthorpe, Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade, Stanground, Thorney, Huntingdon, Gamlingay, Yaxley and Chatteris attended.

They were joined by specialist units, including the incident command unit and two water carriers, one from Ramsey and one from Holbeach sent by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Residents were evacuated to the Cresset Theatre and many have praised the response of emergency services.

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Hyholmes resident Danielle Skipp, told the Peterborough Telegraph: “The police officers, firefighters, people from the Red Cross and everyone has been fantastic,” she said. “They have been talking to us, bringing food and drink and checking on us. They have all been brilliant and I can’t praise them highly enough.

The fire at its height in the early hours of Sunday, August 16.The fire at its height in the early hours of Sunday, August 16.
The fire at its height in the early hours of Sunday, August 16.

“We are all tired. It’s been a long night but thankfully we have been told nobody is injured so that’s the main thing.”

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