Electrical source blamed for major fire which gutted a March home

A devastating blaze which completely destroyed a March home was an accident say fire investigators.

Cambridgeshrie Fire Service investigators were at the scene in Church Street for most of yesterday (Monday) trying ascertain how the fire, which started at around 9.25am on Sunday, began.

A spokesman for the fire service said: "Due to the danger from the unsafe structure it has not been possible to carry out a full excavation of the debris. From the evidence available and information that could be gathered from the scene, the ignition source is believed to be electrical. No specific cause could be identifed but the fire is not being treated as suspicious."

More than 40 firefighters, including crews from March, Chatteris, Wisbech, Ramsey, Dogsthorpe, Huntingdon, St Neots and Cambridge, including a water carrier, the north roaming fire engine and the specialist Multistar aerial appliance, attended the scene.

Firefighters arrived to find a well-developed fire involving a shed, which contained cylinders that was spreading to nearby houses. Crews worked hard to contain the fire to stop it from spreading to further properties while also ensuring the cylinders were cooled and removed from the area.

Residents in the immediate area were evacuated from their homes as a precaution and road closures were in place for most of the day.

Crews remained at the scene tackling the fire for more than six hours. The structure of the building was compromised as a result of fire damage, so firefighters were only able fight the fire from the outside and by damping down the surrounding area.