A fire at The Blue Bell pub in Hoby, Leicestershire, on Saturday evening is believed to have been caused by a discarded cigarette. The blaze started in a bin store and fencing in the beer garden as the pub was calling last orders.
Crews from Melton and Birstall attended the incident and extinguished the fire. The fire service stated that the cause was believed to be "carelessly discarded smoking materials".
Mason Platts from the Everards pub said staff used a hose to tackle the fire before the fire brigade arrived. He added that a "disastrous" outcome was narrowly avoided, as the thatched roof and gas canisters in a nearby cellar were kept from igniting. No injuries were reported.