Fire breaks out at Cambridge pub

A fire broke out earlier this week at the Baron of Beef, a popular pub in Cambridge.

Fire crews managed to contain the blaze at the Bridge Street pub, which is believed to have started in a disused oven that had accidentally been switched on. Paper was found to have been stored in the oven, providing the fuel for the fire.

Three fire crews from Cambridge and Sawston were called to the pub at around 2.45pm after fire alarms sounded. Firefighters used a turntable ladder and other specialist equipment to contain the blaze and ensure it did not spread into other rooms of the pub. The fire was fully extinguished just an hour or so later, and no one was reported to have been injured.

Thanks to the speed and efficiency of the fire crews, the damage to the pub was minimal. As well as confirming that the fire affected a boiler and store cupboard, manager Gail Pritchard confirmed that food would not be served that night but that the pub would be open as normal the next day.

Steve Elve, station manager at Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, attributed the minimal damage to the pub to the fire alarms sounding. He said:

“Thanks to the working smoke alarm this fire was detected early and firefighters were able to extinguish it before it could spread.

“If the fire had not been detected it could have spread rapidly and become life threatening.”