STEAM trains on the West Somerset Railway (WSR) were suspended this week while an investigation was underway to discover if one of its locomotives was responsible for a huge fire which ripped through people’s back gardens and 20 acres of fields on Bank Holiday Monday.

Diesel engines were being used to haul passengers between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard as Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFR) investigators looked for a cause of the blaze.

Rear gardens of Verdun Terrace, Washford, back onto the railway line and some residents claimed embers from a steam train set alight grass next to a shed.

The flames quickly spread and raced across the gardens of 18 homes, destroying sheds and everything in their way and damaging one of the houses.

DSFR sent fire crews from 10 stations across Somerset and Devon to battle the blaze and more than 20 people were treated for smoke inhalation.

A WSR spokesperson said the company was concerned to learn of the fire which had broken out following the recent exceptionally dry weather.

The spokesperson said: “We have every sympathy with our neighbours who have been affected.

“The cause of the fire is, as yet, unknown.

“We are co-operating with the fire brigade as they establish the cause.

“We have launched our own investigation as the gardens are close to the tracks where our steam trains run, and we understand there may be a number of possible causes of ignition.

“While our staff and neighbours deal with this incident it was felt appropriate to suspend steam train services and revert to using diesel trains.

“We will be operating a full timetable and apologise to those travelling with us who were expecting steam services.”

A DSFR spokesperson said: “We do not have any information on the cause, other than it was accidental.

“Beyond that, we cannot be more specific.”