THE fire services in the Okehampton area had a busy weekend last week, with a thatch roof blaze in Fishleigh on Saturday February 4 and a shed fire in Okehampton the following day.

The fire service received the call about the thatch roof fire of a domestic residence in Fishleigh at around 2.30pm on Saturday.

Appliances from Hatherleigh, North Tawton, Torrington, Chulmleigh, Holsworthy, and Bideford attended, along with two further appliances from Okehampton, a water foam carrier from Barnstaple, aerial ladder platform from Danes Castle Exeter, hose layer from Tavistock and the incident command unit from Ilfracombe.

Western Power also attended the incident to isolate the power supply to the property.

Firefighters battled the fire for around three hours before it was brought under control at 6.35pm. Half of the thatched roof was saved by firefighters who managed to stop the spread of the flames, and also managed to save the majority of antiques and valuable paintings inside the property. Some water damage was sustained to the building in the process.

Crews left the scene at 7.21pm, having put out the fire. The roof blaze came only two days after the catastrophic fire that destroyed five cottages in Crediton.

To complete a busy weekend of firefighting, two fire appliances were called out to Exeter Road at around 8am on Sunday to put out a a shed fire.

Initially one appliance from Okehampton was mobilised to put out the fire in a shed at the rear of the property, but upon arrival the crew requested a second due to the shed's close proximity to the house.

The single storey outbuilding, measuring five metres by three metres, was attached to the main semi-detached house by the roof.

Half the roof of the outbuilding and its contents were severely damaged by the blaze and 20% of the adjoining outbuilding of the neighbour's property was also severely damaged by the fire.

One hose reel and two breathing apparatus were used to put out the fire, which was under control by 8.37am. The fire is not being treated as suspicious.