Rame Head fire turns into ‘major incident’
AFIRE which ripped though farm buildings on Cornwall’s Rame Peninsula and prompted the declaration of a major incident on Wednesday evening was not started deliberately, police believe.
Emergency services were called out to Rame Head to deal with a large fire at a barn. It was belching smoke into the sky and was visible for miles around.
Crews from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) along with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service were able to tackle the flames, although firefighters from Looe and Torpoint were still at the scene yesterday morning to monitor the situation.
CFRS and Devon and Cornwall Police said in a joint statement that the cause of the incident was “accidental”.
The police statement read: “The fire has now been brought under control and the emergency service response is being scaled back. Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service will be remaining at the scene to dampen down the fire. The cause of the fire is not thought to be suspicious at this time.
“There is no ongoing public safety concerns, so the cordon and road closures have been lifted.
“Due to a spillage of diesel, there is evidence of slight surface water contamination of a local stream that leads to the sea at Cawsand.
“The Environment Agency are monitoring the water quality and are confident the effects will be minimal, and the contamination will disperse naturally.
“We would like to thank the public for their assistance and patience as emergency services responded to this incident.”
Pictures from the incident posted on social media by Saltash Community Fire Station showed firefighters blasting water into the barn and smoke billowing into the sky above the coastal area.
Two fire appliances from Saltash were initially sent to tackle the blaze, backed up shortly afterwards with multiple other appliances from around South East Cornwall.
A CFRS spokesman said: “Upon arrival, the barn was well alight and a large cordon placed due to the contents of the barn, which included fuel and fertiliser. A major incident was declared.
“Crews used monitors and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire and [it] continues to be monitored.”
For a time there were fears the blaze could have got out of control and spread to a fertiliser store, and a police cordon was put in place.
A cordon stretching one kilometre was introduced, and many residents were evacuated from their homes for their safety.
However, by yesterday it was confirmed that a chemical spillage had been contained, although roads in the area were expected to remain closed while the area was cleared.