CUTTY SARK

Much has been said about the fire by people who know a lot more than me, but I do have one concern which was prompted by reading the following:

Ian Allchin, a press officer with London Fire Brigade, told Times Online that the firefighters' efforts were hampered. "Initially, we were in defensive mode, with crews standing well back from the flames," he said. "We were able to confirm within about 45 minutes that there were no hazards on board, and began to fight the fire aggressively."

Before anyone jumps down my throat, I do not claim to know anything about fire fighting and I am not saying the response of the Fire Brigade was wrong. What concerns me, and this is a question not an accusation, is that did the fire fighters treat the fire exactly the same way as any other fire or was sufficient consideration given to the fact that what was on fire was irreplaceable? If a mangy old warehouse is burning down then what does it matter if you wait 45 mins to check for hazards, but when the blaze is consuming an irreplaceable part of our heritage maybe there is a case to be made for going in and dealing with it straight away?