Devon fire crews have been tackling a fire involving five properties in Exmouth for the last four hours.
More than 12 appliances have been called to the scene of five terraced cottages with a blaze involving the thatch roof.
The Fire Service received a call to a chimney fire which had spread to the thatch roof of a terraced property on Castle Lane in Exmouth at 18:32.
Western Power have attended the scene to isolate the power to the properties.
Police have closed the road in the area and the the Environment Agency have been made aware of this incident.
The British Red Cross Fire Emergency Support Services team have also been requested to attend and the public are advised to stay away from the area.
Updates from the fire service below:Update at 18:42 - Fire crews confirmed a row of five thatched properties with the centre cottage involved in fire.Update at 19:02 - The Welfare Unit from Burnham-On-Sea was requested to attend this incident.Update at 19:06 - A further four fire appliances from Honiton, Seaton, Dawlish and Moretonhampstead were requested to attend this incident.Update at 19:16 - Fire crews have requested additional compressed air foam systems stocks at this incident. Fire crews requested the attendance of the Salvation Army to provide substantial refreshments at this incident.Update at 19:42 - This is five terraced cottages with a fire involving the thatch roof. Fire crews are currently at work with twelve breathing apparatus wearers, two compressed air foam systems jets and two hose reel jets. Fire crews are tackling the fire using the aerial ladder platform.Update at 19:44 - Fire crews have requested additional lighting to be delivered to the fireground from Crediton.Update at 20:06 - The Ambulance Hazardous Area Response Team are in attendance at this incident.Update at 20:19 - Fire crews are still at work stripping thatch from the roof with twelve breathing apparatus wearers, ladders for access, three compressed air foam systems jets and the aerial ladder platform.Update at 20:57 - Fire crews have confirmed a fire involving the thatch roof of a cottage in the middle of five terraced two storey thatched cottages, measuring forty metres by ten metres. Fire crews are still at work using two breathing apparatus wearers, two hose reel jets, one main jet, two compressed air foam systems jets and ladders for access.
Update at 21:31 - Fire crews are continuing to make steady progress stripping thatch from the roof. This incident will shortly be reduced to two fire appliances. The fire has been confined to the two middle cottages within the terrace of five properties.
Update at 22:55 - This fire is now under control. Two dwellings within five terraced thatch properties were involved. The thatch roofs of both properties were destroyed by fire. Thirty percent of of the first floor was damaged by smoke, water and compressed air foam systems run off. The fire was extinguished by fire crews using a total of twelve breathing apparatus wearers, two hose reel jets, one main jet, two compressed air foam systems jets and ladders for access. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.
More information as we have it.
