Pub roof destroyed after lightning strike

Seven crews have been working to extinguish a roof fire in a pub in Frinton Road, Holland-on-Sea after it was struck by lightning this morning.

Firefighters were called to Frinton Road, Holland-on-Sea ay 9:47am after residents heard the lightning strike the roof and acted quickly to get out, stay out and dial 999. 

On arrival, crews reported that the roof of a large pub was 50% alight. 

Crews tackled the fire from inside with firefighters wearing Breathing Apparatus and from above using an Aerial Ladder Platform. 

Once the fire was extinguished, crews from Brightlingsea, Wivenhoe and Colchester used the Aerial Ladder Platform and a drone from our Urban Search and Rescue team to locate and hotspots and extinguish them. 

The roof was completely destroyed and has left the pub uninhabitable. 

Crew Manager Darren Tappenden from Clacton Fire Station said: “Crews worked quickly to get this fire under control to prevent it spreading further into the pub.

“This is the third incident we’ve seen since the stormy weather over the weekend and while we can’t prevent incidents like these, we would advise you act quickly when there’s a fire in your home. You need to get out as quickly and safely as you can, stay out and call 999.”