An Exmouth family are recovering today after a fire ripped through their home on Saturday night.
No one was believed to be injured in the blaze that lasted more than five hours in the thatched roof at a row of cottages in Littleham, Exmouth.
More than 12 appliances were called to the scene of the fire, which is believed to have started accidentally, and left considerable damage to two of the five cottages.
The incident began at 6.32pm on Saturday 20 April when the Fire Service were alerted to a chimney fire that had spread to the thatched roof of a terraced cottage in Castle Lane, Littleham, Exmouth.
At 6.42pm, fire crews confirmed that the cottage involved in the fire was in the centre of a row of five thatched properties. The fire began to spread to a second cottage.
Eight fire appliances from Exmouth, Middlemoor Exeter, Topsham, Sidmouth, Danes Castle Exeter and Ottery St Mary attended the incident. Equipment deployed included the incident command vehicle from Exmouth with a support pump from Budleigh Salterton, the water bowser from Torquay, the aerial ladder platform from Danes Castle Exeter and the hose layer from Honiton.
As the extent of the blaze became clearer, more fire crews were called in, including appliances from Honiton, Seaton, Dawlish and Moretonhampstead as well as the Welfare Unit from Burnham-On-Sea.
The police closed the road in the area, Western Power isolated power to the properties, the Environment Agency were made aware of the incident and the Salvation Army were requested to provide refreshments.
At 7.42, fire crews were hard at work, with 12 breathing apparatus wearers, two compressed air foam systems jets, two hose reel jets and an aerial ladder platform.
By 9.30pm, the fire has been confined to the two middle cottages within the terrace of five properties. Fire crews were continuing to make steady progress stripping thatch from the roof.
At 10.55pm it was reported that the fire was under control. Two dwellings within the five terraced thatched properties were involved. The thatched roofs of both properties were destroyed by fire. Thirty per cent of of the first floor was damaged by smoke, water and "run off" from compressed air foam systems. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.
Fire crews then reduced their presence at the incident to one fire appliance, checking for any remaining hot spots using a thermal image camera. Fire crews stayed at the scene until daylight.
A Facebook page was set up to offer support for those affected but it is believed the family are fully insured and are now dealing with the damage caused in the fire.
