SOMERSET NEWS: Massive fire at Highbridge Caravan Centre

NEWS FROM SEDGEMOOR: Massive fire at Highbridge Caravan Centre

A HUGE fire has destroyed or damaged around 160 caravans overnight in Somerset.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service received dozens of calls from members of the public from around 1.30am this morning (Saturday, October 1, 2016) about a blaze engulfing the Highbridge Caravan Centre at Bristol Road in Highbridge.

One fire engine from Burnham-on-Sea was initially mobilised, but further support was quickly called for and two more engines and a water carrier arrived from Bridgwater as the fire was getting larger.

Further appliances from Bridgwater, Taunton and Cheddar, plus a command support unit from Street, were mobilised as the fire spread to several caravans that were close together.

By 2am the fire was rapidly spreading through the caravan site and involved many LPG cylinders which had started to explode.

A spokesman for the Fire Service said: “At this time we were still receiving calls from members of the public which exceeded 60 in total.

“Four more fire appliances were mobilised from Taunton, Winscombe and Bedminster, while shortly after this another request came in for two aerial appliances which came from Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil.”

Crews were slowly able to create a natural fire break in order to remove as many caravans as they could.

Police officers, ambulance paramedics and representatives of the utility companies were also in attendance, while it was reported thankfully that nobody was injured.

“The cause of the fire will be determined once the fire has bene fully extinguished,” added the Fire Service spokesman.

The emergency services have been at the scene throughout the night and at 10.30am today it was reported that around 160 caravans have “been destroyed or damaged in this fire.”

“Crews are still damping down hot spots and investigations into the cause of the fire are underway,” said the spokesman. “Crews are using a hydraulic platform to assist in aerial photographs of the site as part of the investigations.”

PHOTO - TOP: Flames from the fire at the Highbridge Caravant Centre lit up the night sky.

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