An investigation into a thatch roof fire at a west Suffolk cottage has revealed the cause of the blaze.
A total of 26 appliances from across Suffolk were called to the fire in Hengrave, near Bury St Edmunds, on the evening of Monday, April 25.
Crews tackled the fire for about 12 hours overnight and urged people to stay away from the area as much as possible and for neighbours to close doors and windows.
The roof of the thatched cottage home was completely destroyed and the road had to be closed due to the amount of smoke and to allow for a structural engineer to assess structural damage to the building.
All persons in the two-storey property were accounted for but had to find alternative accommodation for the night.
According to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, an investigation into the cause of the fire revealed that a "spark from a chimney that ejected onto the dry reed thatch roof" initiated the blaze.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here