Green Dragon pub roof destroyed by fire
JPPP-LIPHOOK FIRE (JW) MRW 17/1/2013 The Green Dragon public house in Liphook was severely damaged by fire on the morning of Thursday 17th January 2013 Firefighters from Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex together with all of the other emergency services were in attendance and were supported by a Rapid Response Team to hand out hot drinks and food Picture: Malcolm Wells (JPPP-LIPHOOK FIRE - 7594)
A FIRE ripped through the roof of The Green Dragon pub in Liphook in less than an hour, leaving the historic building gutted.
More than 50 firefighters battled to bring the blaze under control as roof timbers hundreds of years old and bone dry went up in flame.
A regular at the pub popular with Liphook United footballers said: “I was at the nearby bank and I and a mate noticed the smoke, we ran to the pub and the roof was exploding, flames were ripping through it. Landlord Kevin was in the garden with his head in his hands, he’s a great bloke and has done a lot in the town, this is a real shame.”
The alarm was raised at about 10.30am on Thursday, January 17, and landlord Kevin Adair and workmen working on the pub which first opened around 1580, watched helplessly from the beer garden as the original roof went up.
Hampshire Fire Service station manager Dave Graham from Basingstoke said: “It was well alight when we arrived, and 58 fire fighters worked hard to control it, doing exceptionally well to stop it spreading next door.”
Fire tenders from Haslemere, first to arrive, Bordon, Alton and Midhurst were called out, as was an aerial platform from Guildford, a major incident command vehicle, a fire control unit, an ambulance, Fire and Rescue support vehicles and police officers and cars.
As the fire raged, the main London Road through Liphook was closed, causing confusion and tailbacks at the nearby mini roundabout.
Thousands of gallons were pumped into the pub from the aerial platform, as fire fighters smashed their way through roof tiles and ripped out burning timbers, throwing them onto the road below, as they fought to control the blaze.
One said: “The roof space and timbers were destroyed, the first floor is in bad shape, and the ground floor and cellers have suffered serious smoke and water damage.”
A customer at a nearby shop said: “What a terrible start to 2013, I imagine it’ll be sometime before it re-opens.” Landlord Mr Adair was Liphook football club manager, and now plays for the club. The cause of the fire is under investigation, said a fire service spokesman.
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
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