TWO fire appliances from Hatherleigh and Torrington, together with a water carrier from Barnstaple, were initially mobilised at around 9pm on Monday, June 10, to reports of a barn fire at Meeth near Hatherleigh, following calls from members of the public who could see the fire from across some fields.

However, on further inspection it soon became apparent that this was in fact a large property fire, with a thatched roof, that was well alight.

Fire control immediately increased the attendance by a further six fire appliances, mobilised from Okehampton, North Tawton, Holsworthy and Bideford, together with various special supporting appliances from Bovey Tracy, Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Crediton and the Urban Search and Rescue station at police headquarters in Exeter. 

By midnight the fire was well established on arrival of initial crews who got to work setting up firefighting media before confirming that the first floor and roof were well alight. Crews continued to get the fire under control, which had by this time spread to adjoining buildings. The crews used breathing apparatus, main jets, hose reel jets and compressed air foam to tackle the blaze.

The incident was split into four sectors to aid effective firefighting from different angles and heights.

The incident was still ongoing by 6am the next morning [June 11] but the fire was under control and the had been scaled back to three pumping appliances, with two relief crews en route from Braunton and Witheridge. Crews made steady progress and worked to damp down hotspots using ladders, main jets and hose reel jets.

The cause of the fire was confirmed as a lightening strike to the recently re-thatched roof. All persons were accounted for earlier in the incident, with no casualties.

Two fire crews were still in attendance by 3pm on June 11 along with a welfare unit at the scene. Crews were seen damping down from outside using foam as the building structure was unstable.

Confirmation has since been received from the incident ground that 100% of the roof and 80% of the building was severely damaged by fire. Crews remained on scene throughout the night damping down and to prevent incident escalation.