Barn fire on Umberleigh farm destroys contents

Eleven fire crews were needed when a large barn storing caravans, machinery and highly explosive gas cylinders caught fire in North Devon.

The fire broke out at a farm in Umberleigh just after 9pm on Good Friday (April 15).

Initially two fire engines from Barnstaple and one from South Molton were mobilised but as more details of the fire were given, the incident was escalated and the fire service sent a water carrier from Barnstaple.

When crews arrived at the farm, they found a fully developed large barn fire further complicated by the fact it was storing multiple caravans, machinery and cylinders of butane and propane, argon.