BUILDINGS on the derelict former Wansbrough Paper Mill site in Watchet were destroyed in a major fire on Tuesday evening (June 2).

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFR) received 999 calls about the incident shortly before 7 pm.

Within an hour almost all the roof of a building measuring 98 feet by 16 feet had collapsed.

Emergency services advised residents living in Brendon Road and elsewhere nearby to stay indoors and keep their windows closed because of thick smoke in the area.

Fire crews from Williton and Minehead were first on scene and confirmed on arrival that a building was well alight.

They immediately requested the attendance of a third appliance and an aerial ladder platform, which were mobilised from Minehead and Bridgwater as the firefighters tackled the blaze with two main jets.

A request for a fourth appliance was then made and crews from Nether Stowey were dispatched.

By 10 pm the crews were still hard at work firefighting but said to be making ‘steady progress’.

It was too early to determine how the fire started, but there were suspicions it could be an arson attack.

The Wansbrough mill closed with the loss of 176 jobs in 2015 when owners DS Smith lost a major contract, and the site has lain empty ever since.

The community held a number of events last December to mark the 10th anniversary of its closure.