Property fire

Fire crews from Somerset have been attending a property fire since this morning after receiving multiple calls from the occupants, and members of the public. Initially 3 fire appliances from Nether Stowey, Williton and Bridgwater were mobilised to the incident on Dyche Road, Holford, Nether Stowey as Fire Control continued to establish the information from the 999 calls. We remained on the phone to callers until we could confirm that all persons were out of the properties, as the initial fire was spreading to an adjoining cottage. 

Shortly after initial crews arrived on scene they confirmed the fire was well alight and increased the attendance by a further fire appliance from Minehead, together with a water carrier from Bridgwater. However, fire was quickly spreading to the adjoining property and this attendance was once again increased by 2 more fire appliances, mobilised from Taunton and Minehead, and another water carrier form Yeovil. In order to support this amount of appliances a command support vehicle was mobilised from Street and an incident support vehicle from Martock, together with a selection of specially skilled officers. 

Update - This incident is now complete and was brought under control 1518hrs. The cause of the fire is still under investigation and therefore remains unknown at this time. Crews used a total of 6 breathing apparatus, 6 water jets, a variety of ladders to access roof spaces, ceiling hooks and thermal imaging cameras to check for fire spread and hotspots. Due to the intensity of the fire and subsequent damage, crews had to remain outside of the properties for crew safety and continue to fire fight until they were satisfied the fire was extinguished. However, local crews will be returning this evening for a safety reinspection and fire investigation officers from the Fire Service and Police will continue their investigations in the morning. The initial property has been 100% damaged by fire and the adjoining property by 50%. Duty of care has been left with the Police and our crews have come away from scene until our revisit later this evening. Luckily there were no casualties and this is all the information we have at this time. 

Further details will be updated once known....