FIREFIGHTERS in Kent joined their colleagues across the country at 9am today in walking out after hopes of resolving the bitter pay dispute collapsed.

Firemen and women are due to be on strike for 48 hours and again next Saturday and Sunday because of continuing deadlock over their 40 per cent pay claim.

Talks involving the Fire Brigades' Union and employers in London last night were called off after union leaders decided to press ahead with strike action.

FIREFIGHTERS from Maidstone were kept busy for more than seven hours last night after a derelict house caught fire.

The timber-framed house in Church Lane, Bearsted, was well alight when the fire crews arrived on the scene at around 3.45pm. Two pumps were called out to the blaze and one extra water unit was requested to help the firefighters battle the blaze.

Although the building was unoccupied and nobody was at risk from the fire, the firefighters had to stay well into the evening to make sure that the wooden building was completely doused with water and would not re-ignite.

Firefighter Alan Stark said: “We stayed until about 11pm, checking through the debris for hotspots. As the building was wooden it was hard work putting it out, and we had to maintain a presence to ensure that the scene was safe. The police are currently investigating the incident.”