Firefighters avert disaster

The blaze started in a garden behind Fishmarket Road on Friday afternoon when an incinerator set fire to a shed and quickly spread to nearby properties.

The alarm was raised as a pall of black smoke rose up from behind the Landgate Arch area.

Firefighters had to tackle the potential danger of a propane gas cylinder that was in the shed.

There were delays and tail-backs on the busy A259 as firemen brought the blaze under control.

Local photographer and gallery owner Clive Sawyer, who took this picture, said: “It was quite dramatic. At one stage the flames really shot up when flammable material in the shed ignited.

“Firemen were on the scene very quickly and managed to deal with it, otherwise I think it would have been a lot worse. The houses are very close together there.

Rye firefighter Andy Polley said: “The occupants were out at the time the fire started, caused by a garden incinerator.

“We used two pumps to bring it under control. There was a propane gas cylinder in the shed.

“The shed was burned and there was some damage to the roof felt of adjoining buildings but we were able to stop it spreading.”