PRAISE FOR BLAZE HERO AFTER FLATS ARE GUTTED

AN anonymous Cullompton man, who  alerted firefighters to  a blaze that gutted  two flats above a town  centre launderette,  has been hailed a  hero.

 He ran into the Market House pub next  door to warn drinkers,  when it appeared  flames were spreading.

The cause of the fire,  at round 10.30pm on  Monday last week, is  not yet known. But detectives are reviewing a  fire report for any suspicious evidence.

Suzie Izzard, a  spokesperson for  Devon and Somerset  Fire Service, said: “Investigations are ongoing and are likely to  take some time.

 “But we are really  pleased with one member of the public who  brought the fire to the  attention of the adjacent pub and got everybody out. We thank him and his  actions should be applauded.”

The response from firefighters  was also described as “heroic” by  on-lookers, who manned an aerial  platform brought up from Exeter.

Further crews from Exeter,  Cullompton and Tiverton, and a  compressed air foam appliance  from Exmouth, arrived to stop  the flames from spreading to the  pub and baptist church, which  both escaped with smoke damage. PC Alan Mobbs, a spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall  Constabulary, said fire investigators believe the blaze is of  “doubtful cause” and are working  with police,  studying CCTV footage and conducting  house-to-house enquiries. He added: “The fire investigators are  not saying it was arson, and they  are not saying it was accidental  at the moment. We have to wait  until the building is safe to go  into for forensic examination.”

DS Sally Wootton, of Tiverton  CID, said sometimes a cause of a  fire is not established. She added:  “At the moment we are just reviewing the fire report, but if  there is nothing suspicious then  we will not get involved.”

Onlookers described the scene  as “terrifying” and said flames  were 20 feet high at their highest.

Anita North, licensee of both  the Kings Head and Market  House, said it was not until 2am  the next morning that she was  certain her pub would be safe.

Ms North said: “We did think  at one point they were not going  to get it under control. It was  pretty terrifying. Somebody  walked in from across the street  and said, ‘I think you should  know there is a fire next door’, so  my son Hedley got everybody out.  I think the man’s name was Dan.  He was across the road with the  firemen and I thanked him for  his actions.”

Wendy Land, manager of  Noah’s Ark Playgroup, which is  based at the baptist church, said  it was “business as usual” the  following morning once firefighters checked the building was safe.

 She said: “The fire was contained in the building and,  thanks to the firefighters, there  was not huge devastation to the  rest of the community.”

Sandra Hart, who lives at St  Andrews Estate overlooking the  High Street, said: “The firefighters were fantastic.  To see that fire  take hold and to think how anybody could get out is astonishing  in itself.”