Flames Rip Through Exeter Building as Fire Service Scrambles Massive Response
Smoke and Flames Force Fire Crews Into Action
A fire engine from Danes Castle, Exeter, raced to a building after an alarm sounded. On arrival, firefighters spotted smoke and flames pouring from the property. They immediately called for backup.
Reinforcements Flood In
Additional engines arrived from Danes Castle and Topsham. An aerial ladder platform was also dispatched from Danes Castle to tackle the blaze from above. Firefighters couldn’t get inside initially and had to call a keyholder to assist.
Fire Escalates, More Resources Deployed
As the fire spread rapidly, crews requested two more engines from Middlemoor and Exmouth. An incident command unit from Totnes was also sent to manage the mounting resources. At this point, six firefighters worked hard wearing breathing apparatus, using two hose reels and three 45mm jets to fight the blaze.
Fire Brigade Braces for Battle
The situation worsened late at night. At 23:52, the response shot up to 15 fire engines plus special equipment. Just after midnight, the emergency escalated further: 20 fire engines, three aerial ladder platforms, an incident command unit, environmental protection unit, two water bowsers, a high volume pump, and specialist officers were all deployed to battle the raging fire.
