On April 29, 2015, a massive fire ripped through Clandon Park, an early 18th century Grade 1 listed Palladian mansion built for Lord Onslow on the outskirts of Guildford.
At 4.09pm, staff at the National Trust-owned property called 999. Over the next 24 hours, some 16 fire engines and around 80 firefighters attended the blaze at its height but despite their best efforts, left was a scene of near complete devastation.
Thankfully, no-one was injured in the inferno, while a salvage operation to recover hundreds of priceless artefacts from Clandon Park was, in essence, underway no sooner had the flames taken hold.
"It has been heartbreaking to witness the terrible damage to this wonderful mansion, which means so much to so many people." - Dame Helen Ghosh, National Trust director general
The cause of the fire was eventually traced to a faulty electrical distribution board. Dame Helen later confirmed all of the trust's properties would undergo electrical checks in the wake of the Clandon Park fire.
Subsequent reports by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SF&RS), obtained by Get Surrey, highlighted both the extraordinary efforts of all the Clandon firefighters, but also some of the logistical, procedural and bureaucratic challenges they faced.
While the fire spread rapidly, there was some discussion among crew members upon debrief that initial delays to the service's response may have contributed to the scale of the devastation.
Assistant chief fire officer Simon Moore perhaps best summed up the mood in the aftermath of the fire, stressing simply that such were the complexities of tackling a fire at a property such as Clandon:
"It was always going to burn down." - Simon Moore
In January, the National Trust revealed its plans to breathe new life into Clandon Park, describing the task ahead of the trust as the 'biggest conservation project in a generation' if it is to restore Clandon to its former glory.
Various curios have been recovered from the ashes, including one of two ornate porcelain rabbits, a set of regimental colours and the home's 'State Bed' - but an 18th century masterpiece by artist Johann Zoffany remains elusive.
This week (April 25-29), the National Trust has been proactive in marking a year since the fire, remarking on the 'huge strides' it has made in its restoration efforts while acknowledging it will be 'many more years' before Clandon is in a fit state to reopen to the public.
"The trouble is a lack of water. They [the firefighters] can't get enough water pressure. They had it under control but then the water went down and the flames went up - it's a disaster."
- John Covey, eyewitness
Fire reports obtained by Get Surrey in the months following the fire set out the response by SF&RS to the emergency, starting with the initial call.
4.09pm - The 999 call is made to report the fire. Two pumps from Guildford fire station are tasked, along with an aerial ladder platform from Chertsey fire station.
4.17pm - First pump arrives but the second is delayed waiting for a crew member. Already, the fire is spreading unseen through the building from the basement.
4.20pm - Two firefighters wearing breathing gear enter Clandon Park. A request is made for further support.
4.26pm - Crews establish the fire has spread to the first floor and a further request for support is made.
"As I have been standing here, it has gotten worse. The flames are really huge and the smoke is just getting more and more dense." - Nick Varns, eyewitness
4.31pm - Additional pumps from Woking, Guildford and Chertsey fire stations arrive. By 5.34pm, 16 pumps in total had been ordered and were operational at the scene by 6.02pm.
4.44pm - Requests made for additional water carriers after 'known poor water supply' established at the location.
5.28pm - Incident commander reports basement, ground floor, first floor, second floor and roof affected. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are evacuated.
5.50pm - A further two water carriers are requested. By 6.41pm, all four at the scene are operational.
"It's very distressing to see so much history go up in flames - some of the things in there are irreplaceable." - Alistair Kelmin, Clandon Park volunteer
6.00pm - High volume water pump requested. Firefighters later question why this was not done earlier.
6.07pm - Second aerial ladder platform arrives. The third arrives at 6.35pm.
6.50pm - High volume water pump arrives and firefighters begin laying hose to pump water from a lake 1.4km away. However, it is not until 8.35pm water starts being pumped from the lake.
7.51pm - The formal salvage operation gets underway.
"The building has suffered an immense trauma. What will now take place is the forensic task of identifying what was salvaged from the building."
- National Trust
With the devastation at Clandon so starkly evident, there was no hiding from the fact it would be a long time, if at all, before Clandon would be conserved, restored and reopened to the public.
That journey began on April 29, 2015, and it continues with all the same ardour, alacrity and vigour on April 29, 2016, as the National Trust finalises its proposals to ensure Clandon has the future it deserves.
In the aftermath of the fire, staff, visitors and trustees mourned the loss of a Surrey institution, one that held a special place in the hearts and minds of thousands who looked back fondly on picnics, strolls and weddings.
"The house was a tapestry of people's lives, couples got married there, kids grew up there and families regularly visited." - Matthew Beckett, historian
Indeed, dozens of couples were left in limbo, the fire having largely burned down their dream wedding venue. In their hour of need, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service even offered out its chapel and conference facilities.
It wasn't until May 1 the fire was formally declared out, with crews on site 24/7 for days on end to continue damping down while allowing the salvage operation to go ahead.
Dame Helen Ghosh paid tribute to the 'amazing efforts' of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, as well as the support of the public, volunteers, colleagues, neighbouring properties and specialists.
But in the days, weeks and months following the blaze, the reality of the situation became abundantly clear, bringing back uncomfortable memories of a similar fire at Uppark House in West Sussex in 1989.
"The house is now essentially a shell - most of the roof, ceiling and floors have collapsed into the bottom of the building." - Dame Helen
There were green shoots of recovery though. The National Trust said a 'significant amount' of the home's collection was saved, a fundraising campaign was launched and incredibly, the house's Speakers' Parlour escaped largely unscathed.
Meanwhile, the Earl of Onslow promised 'another chapter' for Clandon Park. He also praised the fire crews for their 'energy, bravery and expertise', adding: "The fire was a travesty of history and of property, but it is important to note that there has been no loss of life."
"We had two large lakes full of water and they were not used quick enough. We had light portable pumps but waited too long for a high volume pump."
- SF&RS pump commander
Short of any formal recriminations, it's fair to say there was a full, fair and frank review both of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service's response to the blaze and also the National Trust's own safety arrangements and procedures.
The fire was discovered when a member of staff at the Surrey Infantry Museum lost power to his computer, only to discover the outage had been caused by a fire on a faulty electrical distribution board.
He alerted National Trust staff and the 999 call was made at 4.09pm, whereby all visitors and staff evacuated the building.
But even by 4.17pm, when the first crew arrived, the fire had spread rapidly from the basement to the ground floor, with the house eventually suffering 95% fire damage, from the basement right through to the roof.
While SF&RS hit its initial 10-minute response target, it missed its 15-minute response time for secondary crews, meaning the first four-man crew fought the fire alone the first 13 minutes. One anonymous former firefighter told Get Surrey:
"When a crew of four wait nearly 20 minutes for assistance at a place like Clandon, it is a tragedy of monumental proportions, it won't ever be forgotten."
Frontline firefighters were critical of the time it took for additional appliances to arrive, as well as delays in securing a stable water supply - despite there already being a 'known poor water supply'.
Four water carriers were on the scene by 6.02pm before a high volume pump was finally operational at 8.35pm, pumping water 1.4km from a nearby lake.
"We had two large lakes full of water, and they were not used quick enough," said one firefighter. Another said at properties with known poor supplies, the service could 'pre-pan' water relay or ensure water carrier attendance from the outset.
SF&RS assistant chief fire officer Simon Moore, however, said with the fire spreading through 'voids' in the building, water was only an effective defence if crews could ensure they could get it to the fire, adding:
"There was a feeling of people beating themselves up, saying 'why couldn't we contain this?' Not everyone recognised salvage was to be the main accomplishment. Within the eight minutes the first appliance took to arrive, we had smoke detection in the roof. It was always going to be difficult - the fire spread so rapidly."
There were also concerns raised about 'overcrowded' radio channels and confusion over organisation of resources and tactics at the scene, such as simply being about to manoeuvre appliances effectively.
Fire service reports, however, show crews did quickly realise the importance of the salvage operation, preserving countless priceless artefacts such as paintings, statues, books and antiques - for which they were widely praised.
One pump commander described it simply as 'sheer hard work'.
The National Trust, meanwhile, said it would be auditing fire defence measures at a number of other properties.
"Clandon will continue in some shape or form in the future."
- Dame Helen
In June 2015, the National Trust announced that Clandon Park would be rebuilt - 'in some form'. This was followed in September by the news Clandon's beautiful gardens had also been restored and reopened to the public, albeit temporarily.
Then in January, the trust invited cameras into the fire-stricken house for the first time since the fire, announcing plans to restore Clandon Park's 'most significant' ground floor rooms to their former glory, based on its original 18th century design by architect Giacomo Leoni rather than its 1960s refurbishment.
Clandon's upper floors, meanwhile, will be transformed into modern, flexible spaces to be used for exhibitions, events and performances.
"The fire at Clandon was shocking, but gives us the opportunity not only to show our respect for the heritage of the past, but also to create new heritage for the future." - Dame Helen
Now, exactly a year since the devastating fire, the National Trust is confident it can restore Clandon Park to a standard befitting of the property's iconic past and ensure it has a future to match.
A vast scaffold currently engulfs the entire building, shielding it from view, its famous Marble Hall, Speakers' Parlour and Palladio Room a blank canvas upon which to create a new legacy for Clandon.
The salvage team, lead by project curator Sophie Chessum, is working day-in, day-out to painstakingly polish up and restore curios as they are unearthed with an enthusiasm matched only by the seemingly 'impossible' task ahead of them.
Said site archaeologist Catherine Edwards: "We've been on site for six months and despite seemingly insurmountable challenges, we're now clearing rooms and still making wonderful discoveries."
Watch this space.
"Twenty four hours was all it took for the fire at Clandon Park to destroy centuries of artistry and craft skills. We've made huge strides but know it will take many more before we can once again open our doors and invite visitors to experience our goal - a remade Clandon."
Reporting by: Henry Bodkin, Mark Edwards, David Stubbings, Natasha Salmon, Connie Rusk, Candice Ritchie, Amani Hughes, Paul Harper, James Watkins, Jake Ben-David, Michael Pearson, Beth Duffell, Natalie Garland, Laura Nightingale, Stuart Richards
Photos by: Steve Porter, Grahame Larter, Alistair Wilson, Paul Burgman, Richard Symonds, Freddie Gillingham, High Level Photography Ltd, James Dobson, National Trust
Edited by: James Chapple (@chapplejc)
