fire crews were called out to a fire at a thatched cottage in Exbourne last Tuesday —the third such blaze in the space of a week.

Fire crews had to battle thatch fires at Fishleigh near Hatherleigh on February 4, and the catastrophic fire that destroyed five cottages in Crediton on February 2.

The fire service received a call to a chimney on fire with a thatched roof in Exbourne on February 7 at around 9.40pm. One fire appliance from North Tawton and another from Hatherleigh attended with Watch Commander Drew in charge.

On arrival fire crews confirmed a chimney fire involving a wood burning stove and the main beam in the fireplace. They requested the incident support unit from Crediton to attend for the use of Acrow props, and the fire appliance in Okehampton for the use of a saw.

The crews extinguished a small fire in a ground floor living room involving a wooden beam in a chimney breast. They removed the beam using small tools, chimney gear, a ladder for access, and a thermal image camera to check for hot spots.

The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.