Skip to content

Damping down continues after 'difficult' day

Julia GregoryChannel Islands
News imageOlivia Fraser/BBC A huge red water container is being transported on the the back of a trailer pulled by a tractor on La Coupée linking Little Sark to Sark.Olivia Fraser/BBC
Water is being delivered to damp down after the fire on Little Sark

Police have praised the community for "pulling together" to respond to a fire on Little Sark on an "extremely difficult and worrying day" as damping down was set to continue.

Sark Police said emergency services, volunteers and residents came together after the fire broke out on Friday morning and redirected visitors, gave lifts and helped supply water.

The fire is believed to have covered about 20,000m sq (215,000 sq ft). Five Guernsey firefighters sent over to help were injured while travelling to assist at the scene and returned to Guernsey for treatment.

Police said: "This was a powerful reminder of the strength, compassion and resilience that exists across our island."

News imageGordon Dawes Orange flames can be seen on scrub on the edge of a headland with a huge plume of orange-white smoke. There is also black smoke in the background.Gordon Dawes
Residents helped transport water to the scene

La Coupée which connects Little Sark to Sark was closed to non-residents on Saturday morning.

Kevin Adams, from Sark Fire and Rescue, said: "We've never had to fight a fire as big, and we've never had to fight in three different directions."

He said: "It's just so bone dry."

Sark declares major incident after fire

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.

More on this story
Related external link