PART of Dulverton town centre was closed to traffic on Tuesday afternoon (October 28) as firefighters battled a huge blaze in a partially-thatched house.

Electrics in a ground floor airing cupboard were blamed for starting the fire in the Town Marsh area shortly after 3.30 pm and which took until approaching midnight to be made safe.

Dulverton, Minehead, and Williton firefighters were among crews from nine stations mobilised by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFR) to take part in the operation.

A DSFR spokesperson said the alert was sounded after smoke was seen coming from the loft of the 52 ft by 13 ft building.

Eight fire engines, a water carrier, and an aerial ladder platform were immediately dispatched and the crews managed to prevent the flames reaching the roof of the stone and brick built property, which was part thatch and part tiled.

The firefighters stripped back tiles on an extension roof to expose the affected hot spots before they were confident the flames had not spread to the actual roof.

A command support centre was provided by a South Molton crew who also set up and organised a decontamination area for breathing apparatus wearers.

The firefighters isolated the electric supply to the building and needed six sets of breathing apparatus, three hose reel jets, one 45 mm attack jet, a 45 mm safety jet, a thatching lance, two triple extension ladders, scene lighting, and small tools to tackle the fire.

A 45 mm concentrated air foam system jet was also available but not deployed, while six thermal imaging cameras were used to survey the building as hot spots were dampened down.

The eight pumps were supplemented by water from a fire hydrant.

Police closed off part of Dulverton High Street from its junction with Union Street to allow emergency vehicles to access the area.