Plymouth fire: Police investigate cause of large blaze at storage yard near A38

Police are investigating the cause of a large fire which broke out at a pallet storage yard near the A38 in Plymouth overnight.

Crews said the blaze spread quickly after starting at around 11pm on Sunday 6 August. It was brought under control and extinguished within hours.

A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said they received 70 calls about the blaze.

They added: "Two crews from Crownhill and Plympton were mobilised to reports of a fire in the open at a yard on Plymouth Road, Marsh Mills and on arrival crews requested a third appliance and the water bowser.

"The fire was involving pallets in a pallet storage yard. The fire was spreading rapidly. Crews got to work using one hose reel jet, and requested the aerial ladder platform.

"Crews then requested a further two fire appliances, totalling five, along with the incident command unit and welfare unit. Two main jets and one ground monitor were in use.

"At midnight, crews stated they were using main jets and the aerial ladder platform as a water tower.

"Crews confirmed this was a large fire involving pallets, 10m high and 30m by 50m."

They used three main jets, a water tower, hydrants and light portable pumps to tackle the blaze.

Police, ambulance crews and Network Rail were in attendance due to proximity of the fire to the railway.

The fire service says "good progress" was made by 2am and at 4am crews were rotating with relief crews put in place.

"The cause of the fire will be investigated in daylight hours with the police," they added.