Firefighters tackled a serious blaze at a commercial garage near Burnham-on-Sea which engulfed a building and several vehicles, damaged power cables and forced the evacuation of a neighbouring home. Emergency services were called to Rooksbridge Garage, near Burnham-on-Sea, at around 3.18pm on Friday, August 7, after members of the public reported seeing flames and thick smoke. Two fire engines from Cheddar and Burnham-on-Sea were initially mobilised, but the response was quickly escalated when it became clear crews were dealing with a significant commercial property fire. Additional firefighters were sent from Bridgwater before the incident commander requested further resources. Crews from Winscombe and Weston-super-Mare were subsequently sent across the border, while an aerial ladder platform from Taunton was also mobilised.
Garage and vehicles engulfed in flames
Firefighters arrived to find the commercial property fully involved in fire, with several vehicles also affected. Crews wearing breathing apparatus tackled the flames using attack jets, with water supplied from a nearby hydrant. The affected building measured approximately 10 metres by 20 metres and was constructed from block and stone. The presence of cylinders inside the burning garage created an additional hazard for firefighters. Crews worked to cool the cylinders and a specialist hazardous materials officer was requested to attend.
Home evacuated and power cables damaged
A neighbouring house was evacuated because of its proximity to the blaze. Power cables were also damaged during the incident, requiring National Grid personnel to attend. The fire resulted in significant disruption on the A38 at Rooksbridge, which was closed for several hours while emergency services dealt with the incident. Police supported firefighters by putting closures in place around the junctions with Mudgley Road, Mendip Road, Fletchers Lane, Old Bristol Road and the A370 South.
Fire ruled accidental
The incident was brought under control and declared complete at around 7.55pm. Following an examination by a specialist fire investigation officer, the cause of the blaze was determined to be accidental. Despite the scale of the fire, no casualties were reported. Once the building had been made safe and the cylinders sufficiently cooled, responsibility for the premises was handed back to the owners.
