Barn fire in Staverton in South Hams

The farmhouse near Staverton was just two and a half metres from the barn which caught fire on Saturday morning.

Firefighters from ten stations were needed to tackle the burning barn which was 25 metres by 30 metres large.

Three fire engines and a water bowser were initially sent from Buckfastleigh, Bovey Tracey, Totnes and Danes Castle.

Once they arrived crews immediately asked to make pumps six and water bowsers two as there were no water supplies in the area.

Teams from Totnes, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot, Danes Castle and Chagford attended.

Water was supplied using the water bowser which ferried water from the nearest hydrant to a dam at the fire ground.

The barn had been mainly used for storage and to further complicate the situation, firefighters had to work around a 25 metre cordon put in place due to an unsafe compressor within the barn.

The challenge was to prevent the fire spreading to the neighbouring farmhouse.

A spokesperson for Buckfastleigh Fire Station said: "Initial crews did a fantastic job preventing the fire spreading to the farm house which was only 2.5 metres away from the barn.

"The occupier was incredibly helpful to crews using equipment and the passing of information including the whereabouts of cylinders within the barn."

Firefighters used 45mm jets, hose reel jets, a thermal imaging camera, a light portable pump and two ground monitors to prevent fire spread and extinguish the fire.

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Twelve hours later crews confirmed that the barn had been 100 per cent destroyed by the fire which was deemed to have been accidental.