Sidmouth crews called out five times during flood
Flooding in Sidmouth. Picture: Eve Matthews - Credit: Archant
Sidmouth firefighters were called out five times in the space of three hours as flash flooding hit the town.
On Monday, crews attended shouts at three properties as water had entered the buildings and affected the electrics.
Station commander Steve Crabb said access to the station was ‘almost impossible’ due to the depth of the water in Woolbrook Road, which was closed due to flooding.
Crews remained on site until water levels dropped to respond immediately to call-outs.
Mr Crabb said: “It was a busy three hours, it just all happened within a space of between 11am and 2pm.”
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He advised people to not walk or drive into floodwater.
He said: “You cannot tell how deep it is or what may be submerged below.”
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Firefighters were called to rescue a motorist trapped in floodwater near Woodbury Salterton, but found the driver was uninjured and had got to safety before they arrived.
Crews were called to assist in evacuating children from Sidbury Primary School, but were not required as the pupils had been moved to a place of safety.
The final call-out of the day was received shortly before 11.30pm on Monday night to Crook Dairy Farm, in Combe Raleigh, to contain a fire in a barn.
Crews from Ottery St Mary, Honiton and a water bowser from Danes Castle were initially mobilised to the site before requesting assistance from stations in Sidmouth, Middlemoor and an incident command unit from Wiveliscombe.
A Devon and Somerset Fire Service spokesman said crews used breathing apparatus, three hose reel jets, one main jet, three ladders, a thermal imagine camera and a hydrant for water supply.
The spokesman added: “Crews confirmed this as an agricultural building used as a workshop and storage unit well alight. Crews got to work with one main jet and three hose reel jets to put it out. The cause of the fire was deemed to be accidental.”
The fire was contained shortly after 3am on Tuesday.
