Woman saves baby massage class from Sheringham church fire

Fire crews were called to St Peter’s church in Sheringham on Thursday afternoon after an electric heater set fire to the roof of the church hall.

Caz Sayles, who runs baby massage sessions at the church, said she could smell smoke coming from the heaters - acting swiftly to evacuate the mothers and their babies at the class before calling the fire brigade.

Fire crews were called to St Peter’s church in Sheringham on Thursday afternoon (Image: Caz Sayles)

“It was an eventful day,” she said.

“I arrived at around 12.15pm and switched on the electric heaters in the roof to warm the hall up.

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“After about half an hour I could smell smoke coming from the heaters, but I thought it was just dust because the room isn’t used much, and I don’t think it had been used since before Christmas.

“The six mothers and their babies arrived at 1pm. I went to make them all a cup of tea and they could all see and smell smoke on the mezzanine level of the hall.

Caz Sayles (Image: Caz Sayles)

“I didn’t want the newborns to be around the smoke, so I evacuated everyone and called the fire brigade.

“It lit as the firefighters entered the building. They said if it was going another half an hour longer it could’ve burnt the building down.

“Afterwards you wonder what could’ve been.”

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St Peter’s church in Sheringham (Image: Antony Kelly)

Fire crews from Sheringham and Cromer attended the scene in Church Street at 1pm, using main jets and hose reel jets to tackle the blaze, which lasted 40 minutes.

They also used thermal imaging cameras to check for hotspots.

No one was injured in the blaze.