What caused the devastating fire that destroyed homes on Woodland Drive in Barnsley?

  • Drone footage shows the extent of the devastation

Emergency services say a huge blaze which ripped through a street in Barnsley, destroying homes, was accidental.

A number of properties on Woodland Drive were engulfed in flames as the UK endured its hottest day on record, on Tuesday, 19 July.

Five properties were destroyed.

A joint investigation by South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has not concluded, but they say the incident is not believed to have been deliberate.A spokesperson said: "The fire is thought to have started in a garden shed and was electrical in origin. Our thoughts are with all those residents affected by this fire."

Homes destroyed by fire on 'dark day' for South Yorkshire
Houses on Woodland Drive have been destroyed Credit: Facebook

The blaze was one of more than 200 call-outs attended by firefighters in South Yorkshire on Tuesday. It led to the fire service and police declaring a major incident.

Elsewhere, houses were destroyed in Maltby, Clayton village and Kiveton Park, near Rotherham.

Almost £25,000 has now been raised to support the residents of Woodland Drive.

Cllr Adam Tinsley said: "The response has been absolutely amazing. The whole community has come together. I'm not surprise at all."

But such has been the extent of donations of clothes and other supplies that the council has asked people to stop bringing items forward and to donate cash to crowdfunding pages instead.

In pictures: The day South Yorkshire caught fire

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