25/07/13….AMENDMENT: Thame family lost everything in house fire

AMENDMENT 21.40 hrs: It has been clarified that three houses were damaged in the Chowns Close fire yesterday. No. 16 was the house where the fire is understood to have started and the most damaged; No. 18 was badly damaged and No. 14, less affected though the roof very badly damaged.

A THAME family have lost everything a the house fire in Chowns Close, yesterday afternoon (24/07/13), and a neighbour, whose house was also badly damaged, has been speaking about her ordeal.

Lorna Shepherd, who lives at No. 14, told ThameNews.Net: “As soon as I smelt the fire, I looked outside and saw smoke. I shouted at my neighbour at number 16, who had been dozing inside, and he asked me to dial 999.

“Our roof has been severely damaged but my neighbours at No. 16 have lost everything. But I am just so glad that he came out of it unharmed, and their puppy too! His wife was out of their house at the time and their young daughter.”

The house at number 16, gutted by the original fire is uninhabitable and Lorna has been told that her family cannot return to their home next door at No.14, until it has been thoroughly checked, because it may be structurally unsound.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were alerted to a house fire at 15.06 hrs by the neighbour at No. 14 Chowns Close, after she smelt smoke. Crews from Thame were on the scene within five minutes, supported by two fire crews from Oxford and one from Wheatley, a total of five fire engines.

Twelve firefighters used breathing apparatus to enter the building (No.18) and bring the fire under control. Two adults were treated for the effects of breathing smoke by the South Central Ambulance Service at the scene. The cause of the fire is still being investigated by the specialist officers.

VIDEO of Fire crew tackling the fires at Chowns Close, Thame. By Judy Rogers