Large fire at Grade II listed building in Colney Heath

Crews from across the county were called to combat a blaze at a farmhouse in Roestock Lane, Colney Heath, yesterday morning (June 27).

After being mobilised at around 12.20am, Herts Fire and Rescue Service took 12 minutes to get the scene due to difficulty locating the fire. It had initially been seen by a caller from Hazel Grove, Hatfield, on the other side of the A1(M).

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Once they arrived, the initial responders realised the scale of the blaze and called for additional resources. Because the location was so remote, water had to be pumped from a hydrant more than 600 metres away.

Of the 13 appliances called out over the course of seven hours, at most eight were at the scene at once, with support from an aerial appliance, high volume pump, and an incident command unit.

68 Roestock Lane fire (Image: Herts Fire and Rescue)

The derelict farmhouse was “substantially damaged” but there are no reports of any injuries.

A Herts Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: “A full investigation is on-going to determine the cause and origin of the fire.”

The house was built in the late 17th century, according to its Historic England entry, and retained its frame and chimney from that time.