MORE than 50 firefighters battled a blaze which devastated a pair of semi-detached houses in Hammer Vale last Thursday. Firemen from both Hampshire and Surrey fire and rescue service fought the fire at Bramshott Chase. Teams came from Grayshott, Haslemere, Liphook, Bordon, Petersfield, Alton and Basingstoke fire stations, and it took more than seven hours before they could declare the scene safe. Two elderly women had already got out, and were being cared for by ambulance crews, when firemen arrived to find what they described as a "well developed" fire. The two homes sit alone on common land but the blaze was stopped from spreading. A Hampshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said it affected 50 per cent of the roof space, all the first floor and half of the ground floor of one house and had spread to the other. They were called to the fire at about 4.30pm and fought the blaze until 11.30pm. Four pumps were initially mobilised but two more were called including Haslemere crew. They used 20 breathing apparatus, two nets and two hose reels. The road around the area was closed to traffic. Also in attendance was an incident command unit, emergency catering and the British Red Cross Fire And Emergency Support Service – a team of specially trained volunteers who assist individuals or families in a crisis. An investigation is now under way into the cause of the blaze.
