FIRE control mobilised over 80 crewmembers on Monday, February 13, including ones from Holsworthy, Hatherleigh and Bude after a pub’s thatch roof went up in smoke.

The fire service was called to reports of a thatch roof on fire at 8.18am at the Bell Inn in Parkham, near Bideford.

Eight appliances were initially called from Holsworthy, Bideford, Appledore, Torrington, Hartland and Barnstaple, together with a water bowser from Barnstaple and an incident command unit from Ilfracombe.

The high volume pump used was mobilised from Wellington.

Upon arrival crews confirmed that the thatch roof was well alight and crew began working with compressed air foam (CAFS). The incident was sectorised with four breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets — with crews attempting to make a fire break.

Crews on the scene requested an aerial ladder platform, which was mobilised from Barnstaple.

At 9.12am crews requested back up from a further five appliances, together with supporting appliances, to attend the incident.

The supporting appliances came from Hatherleigh, South Molton and Braunton and a further two appliances from Bude.

At 9.28am the crews requested the telehandler, this was mobilised from special operations in Exeter.

Two minutes later at 9.30am, crews confirmed the thatch was fully involved in fire and the incident was sectorised.

Crews then worked with four ladders, two compressed air foams, one hose reel jet and four breathing apparatus to put out the fire.

Minor asbestos was found in the property and the environment agency was notified.

At 10.46am crews confirmed that they were at work removing the thatch roof and carrying out salvage operations with ten breathing apparatus wearers from Cornwall fire service, four hose reel jets, two compressed air foam systems and safety at height equipment.

By 3.37pm fire crews were making steady progress with two aerial ladder platforms removing the roof and continuing with the salvage operation. The incident was slowly scaled down to two pumps until 9.45pm where it was scaled back further to only two fire appliances from Bideford and Witheridge, and an aerial appliance from Barnstaple.

As the Post went to press, crews were still making steady progress damping down the fire with one monitor and one hose reel jet.