RESIDENTS fled their homes in the dead of night as fire crews rushed to the scene of a massive fire yesterday.
Around 20 people self-evacuated after a tree caught fire and then rapidly spread to gorse.
Devon and Somerset Fire Service were called to the scene at 10.30pm after the blaze broke out in the market town of Torrington.
Crews from 16 different stations battled the fire which covered a 200m by 80m area.
People were told to stay indoors, and keep their windows and doors closed.
One resident said there were “orange embers everywhere” when she woke up in the middle of the night.
The blaze was extinguished by 4am this morning but crews are still on site to tackle hotspots.
There could be potential damage to powerlines in the town, with engineers due to visit the site.
Devon and Cornwall Police said last night: “Devon Fire and Rescue Service are currently dealing with a fire near Torrington.
“Police are on scene and assisting.
“The advice from the Fire Service to local residents is to ‘Please stay indoors, close your windows and doors’.
“There are currently no casualties.”
An update on X read: “Fire was on open ground and is under control. Crews remain on scene damping down ground.”
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