10 Aug 2025
An independent investigation into a devastating fire at a Traveller site has found that it was probably caused by human action.
The Ver Meadows caravan site in Redbourn caught fire on the afternoon of July 12 – resulting in the majority of the static and mobile homes being burned to the ground.
Herts County Council – the authority responsible for managing the site – sought an independent investigation to determine the cause and circumstances of the fire.
Burgoynes’ consulting scientists and engineers took into account two recorded 999 calls reporting the fire, statements made by fire crew who attended the incident, and photographs of the scene taken by the police.
The independent investigators reached the same conclusion about the cause and origin of the fire as Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s own investigation.
Fire crews attending the scene had ensured the caravans that were not involved in the fire were unoccupied, rescued a number of dogs/pets, and took steps to remove some of the propane cylinders which were present throughout the site.
Although there was an operational fire hydrant on the site, it did not provide the necessary water flow for dealing with a fire of such rapid development and extent.
Burgoynes’ eight-page report stated: “The opinions expressed are based on the evidence available to date. If new evidence, such as a witness account or smart phone footage of the early stages of the fire, becomes available then these views may have to be revised.”
The investigation found that there was “no evidence to suggest that the caravan [where the fire is believed to have started] had a live power or gas supply at the material time”.
“The fire was not caused by a fault at an energised electrical appliance or a faulty gas appliance or ignition of a gas leak.”
It said that although the fire could have been caused by a battery powered appliance, specifically a recently charged lithium ion battery, there was no such battery casing found in the debris remaining after the fire.”
The report concluded: “The only remaining possibility is that the fire was a result of a human act” suggesting that it might have been caused by cigarette ends, lit candles or a waste bin fire but did not rule out a deliberate act, although there was no positive physical evidence to support this possibility,
