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Large fire tears through Grade II listed building

Surrey Fire & Rescue Service Seven firefighters standing in front of Headley Hall in Surrey, with the empty building surrounded with scaffolding and smoke coming from the ceiling space.Surrey Fire & Rescue Service
Fire crews took four hours to bring the blaze at Headley Hall under control

A "significant" fire that broke out in the roof of a Grade II listed property has been brought under control by firefighters.

Surrey Fire & Rescue said it was called to Headley Grange, Headley Hall, near Epsom, at about 10:30 GMT on Wednesday.

Area commander David Nolan said crews arrived to find "an entire roof fire that was being driven by the prevailing wind".

At its height there were eight fire engines, a height vehicle and two water carriers at the scene.

Four fire engines, one aerial ladder platform and a water carrier will remain on site overnight to dampen down hotspots, Surrey Fire & Rescue said.

Mr Nolan said it was a challenging fire which took four hours to bring under control.

He told BBC Radio Surrey: "When the first crews got there they were faced with an entire roof fire from one side to the other, that was being driven by the prevailing wind."

The building had been "undergoing building works and had scaffolding all the way around", he added.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service An aerial view of Headley Hall, showing smoke rising from the fire, with flames still burning. Water jets from fire engines are being trained on the roof.Surrey Fire and Rescue Service
The fire took hold across the building's entire roof space

He said it was too early to say what the cause of the fire was.

"We've got two fire investigators on site, they're using drones and accessing footage locally" he said.

"There is building work going on, that is a line of investigation for us, but there are so many things in and around that building that we're looking into.

"We don't think it's a deliberate fire."

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