Garage badly damaged after large blaze

A garage has been significantly damaged as a result of a blaze on a Devon industrial estate, firefighters have said.

Devon and Somerset Fire Service was called to the site in Heathfield, near Bovey Tracey, at about 13:00 BST on Monday, after receiving reports of the incident.

The fire service said crews from 12 stations were called out to tackle the flames during the course of the incident, which was described as "large".

An update from firefighters on Tuesday said 70% of the building had been damaged and an investigation into the cause was ongoing.

A fire service spokesperson added a crew had gone back to the scene to carry out checks on Tuesday.

"The building was 70% damaged by fire," the spokesperson said.

"We had a crew dampening down hotspots on Tuesday and checking gas cylinders.

"The fire investigation is ongoing."

In a post on Facebook, Newton Abbot Fire Station said the incident had a number of "significant hazards" to deal with, such as exploding gas cylinders.

"Upon arrival of the first attending crews, a large quantity of smoke and fire was issuing from the roof of the vehicle workshop," the post said.

"Due to a variety of significant hazards, including well alight and exploding cylinders, as well as the structure collapsing, the decision was made to fight the fire defensively."

The post added firefighters used aerial ladder platforms to act as water towers to douse the flames.

Firefighters on the ground also went inside the building to battle flames and damped hotspots, the post said.

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