FIREFIGHTERS from 10 fire stations rushed to deal with a blaze in a thatched property at Abbotskerswell last night, Sunday.

Shortly before 8pm fire control sent fire appliances from Newton Abbot, Torquay, Teignmouth, Bovey Tracey, Ashburton and Buckfastleigh, the Incident command unit from Totnes, the Aerial Ladder Platform from Torquay, water carrier from Danes Castle, Welfare unit from Crediton and High volume pump from USAR. Multiple officers were also mobilised.

A control spokesperson said: ‘Once the first few crews arrived on scene they were able to confirm that only cooking fumes were issuing from the property and the thatch wasn't involved so most of the on route resources could stand down.

The incident was dealt with by crews from Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton.

‘Further investigations confirmed smoke issuing from property was caused by fire involving pressure cooker causing heavy smoke logging.

‘Crews were using two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet, one thermal imaging camera, one gas detector and one positive pressure ventilation fan.

In a final update shortly before 11pm, crews confirmed a pressure cooker was involved in the fire in a ground floor kitchen causing heavy smoke logging.

‘Crews moved the pressure cooker to open air. The property suffered no smoke damage and fire damage was confined to the cooker hob only.

‘Crews used two breathing apparatus, a hose reel jet, a thermal imaging camera, a gas detector and a positive pressure ventilation fan.

‘This incident has now been handed over to the property owners.’