Emergency actions taken following a church fire

The impact of a fire doesn’t stop at the physical damage to the building but can also have an effect on the wider community. When a fire occurs, the initial steps taken can be vital in making the property safe and secure to prevent any additional damage.

When a blaze caused the partial collapse of the church roof, we were quick to respond to ensure emergency actions were taken to protect the church building.

The fire was initiated at a neighbouring business, just a short distance away from the church. The fire then became out of control when it spread to nearby vegetation, a shed and eventually to the Grade II Listed Church.

The fire brigade arrived in good time and managed to extinguish the fire before it could take hold of the whole building. The majority of damage was to the east elevation of the church where a roof dating back to the 19th century had partially collapsed.

When the church called us to make us aware of the fire, we identified the need to put together a team of experts and get to the site quickly to identify any emergency works needed and, most importantly, provide support to the church following this devastating fire.

On the same day that the loss was reported, our team consisting of a loss adjuster, building surveyor and contractor were on site assessing the extent of the damage and considering what emergency steps needed to be taken.

Knowing time was of the essence, the team was able to begin the installation of a tin hat. A tin hat is a temporary fixture that is installed to protect the inside of the church from the elements while a plan is put together to undertake the repairs.

With the emergency actions complete, planning the church’s restoration has commenced and we are looking forward to seeing the final result.