BBC Local Live: Devon & Cornwall on Friday 28 October 2016

Summary

Exeter blaze declared 'major incident' by fire service
The Royal Clarence Hotel - reported to be the first hotel in England - is destroyed by fire
Gold Command declared as fire crews continue to tackle blaze
Appeal to key holders in Cathedral Green to come forward as emergency services fear fire might spread
Fire crews send team to get water from River Exe
South West Water asks city residents to restrict their water use
Fire initially started in a gallery at 05:20 near Exeter Cathedral
'About 110 firefighters' are at the scene and a cordon has been set up
Firefighters from Dorset to help Devon crews
Roads are closed across the city
Updates on Friday 28 October 2016

Live Reporting

Day off for somepublished at 09:30 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
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Smoke seen across Exeterpublished at 09:24 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
James Vickery
BBC Radio Devon
Still some smoke coming from Cathedral Green in Exeter after this morning's fire.
Custody and detention officers help crews with city firepublished at 09:22 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
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Exeter City Council says staff are working with those affected by firepublished at 09:16 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
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Cathedral Green fire: Live from the scenepublished at 09:14 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BBC Radio Devon
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Watch: the scene of the fire on Exeter's Cathedral Greenpublished at 09:05 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
Media caption,
Exeter fire
People react to Exeter fire on BBC Spotlight Facebook pagepublished at 09:02 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Facebook
Stacey: Oh my Lord I do hope the fire service are able to contain it as much as possible. They are amazing buildings. Such history and a beautiful part of Exeter. That will also be someone's livelihood. So very sad.
Carol: Terrible tragedy.
Teresa: Let's hope all surrounding buildings can be saved. Lots of very old buildings. A portion of Exeter's heritage.
Carol: Sad to lose any of our Exeter history.
Colin: Terrible news, shocking.
A30 blocked by overturned lorrypublished at 08:58 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Claire Jones
BBC News Online
Devon and Cornwall Police has said the A30 is blocked by an overturned lorry.
Officers said there was a crash between two vehicles on the A30 westbound at the Woodleigh junction, Cheriton Bishop, just after 02:00.
The vehicles involved were an articulated lorry, which had overturned onto its side and currently blocks the carriageway, and a Mercedes estate car.
Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police
One person was taken to Derriford Hospital by air ambulance and another was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.
Exeter fire: Cause of blaze, how many properties damaged or how it started 'not known'published at 08:53 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Claire Jones
BBC News Online
Devon and Cornwall Police has issued the following press release:, external
"Police alerted by the fire service at 05:20 on Friday 28 October to a large fire affecting the block of buildings in line with the Cathedral Green, and currently contained to ‘The Gallery’ building.
"Three fire appliances are known to be on the scene and police are in attendance. Police have closed off the area while fire crews tackle the blaze.
"The Royal Clarence Hotel has been evacuated as a precaution, and all staff and residents are accounted for.
"It is not known at this time where or how the fire started or how many properties have been affected.
"No injuries are reported.
"There is likely to be traffic disruption due to road closures while the emergency services deal with the incident."
Exeter fire: What we know so farpublished at 08:40 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Chris Ellis
BBC News Online
- At its peak Exeter fire declared 'major incident' by emergency services
- The blaze started in an art gallery near Cathedral Green
- Fire crews say the blaze is starting to die down
- However, police and 20 fire engines are stilll at the scene
- A cordon has been set up and the high street is completely closed
- People are being asked to stay away from the area
- The Royal Clarence Hotel has been evacuated as a precaution, and all staff and guests are accounted for
- Exeter City Council is helping those who have been evacuated
'Getting Exeter fire under control'published at 08:35 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BBC Radio Devon
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People working in the area should 'check before travelling'published at 08:31 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
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Council helps those evacuatedpublished at 08:24 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Harriet Bradshaw
Reporter
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'About 110 firefighters' at Exeter firepublished at 08:19 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
"We were called just after 05:20 this morning to a building well alight, so what we've done is thrown a lot of resources at it," said Bill Harberton, Incident Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.
"We've got 20 fire engines, about 110 firefighters, and the intention is to try and prevent any spread of fire to buildings laterally, the historic buildings and landmarks.
"We're trying to minimise our impact on the city centre of Exeter but clearly there is going to be some disruption."
Exeter fire declared 'major incident' by fire servicepublished at 08:12 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Claire Jones
BBC News Online
The fire in Exeter has been declared as a 'major incident' by the fire service
Firefighters have confirmed "all persons have been accounted for".
It said the fire had taken hold of five floors approximately 30m x 30m and spread to an adjacent hotel.
Image source, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
From the scene as crews tackle blazepublished at 08:08 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
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Exeter fire: What we know so farpublished at 08:04 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Chris Ellis
BBC News Online
- A major blaze that took hold at an art gallery near Cathedral Green in Exeter is starting to die down
- However police and 20 fire engines are stilll at the scene
- A cordon has been set up around the area
- At the moment the city's high street is completely closed
- People are being asked to stay away from the area
- The blaze started at about 05:20
Fire crews 'overrunning water supply' due to Exeter firepublished at 08:01 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service will have to take water from "various locations" as they battle a blaze in the centre of Exeter.
Incident officer Bill Haberton said they were throwing "a lot of resources" at the fire, which started at about 05:20.
He said: "We're going to be taking water from various locations because we're overrunning the water supply in the middle of Exeter at the moment."
'Stay away from the area' warns fire chiefpublished at 07:59 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Harriet Bradshaw
Reporter
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Concerns for 'debris flying from roof' at fire close to Exeter Cathedralpublished at 07:55 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BBC Radio Devon
Anna Norman Walker, the Canon at Exeter Cathedral, can see the fire from her window.
She told BBC Radio Devon: "The main concern was a lot of debris flying from the roof of the affected building which was travelling - certainly some of it made it to the roof of the Royal Clarence Hotel and for a moment that looked like it was going up as well, but it looks like the firefighters have got that under control.
"They've got up on a crane and are attacking the fire from above.''