800°c underground fire in Newton Abbot
The fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday (9 August 2026)
Firefighters have been tackling an underground fire in Newton Abbot.
The 800°c fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday (9 August 2026) in the Jetty Marsh Road area.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (via their Facebook page) said: "Upon our arrival, we discovered a sub surface inspection hatch to be well alight with the hatch cover blown off.
"Upon a quick inspection by crews, coupled with electricity visibly arching from the pit, a variety of BT fibre optic cables and electrically equipment were deemed to be fully involved within the inspection / access pit.
"Due to the power being live, crews set up an exclusion zone around the incident and closely monitored the fire until the National Grid and BT could attend. Upon the arrival of the National Grid, they informed us that they had isolated the necessary electrical feeds and were happy the equipment within was no longer live.
"As a result, the IC (Incident Commander) instructed one firefighter to use a C02 fire extinguisher to tackle the flames. Crews then continued to monitor temperatures which at some points were in excess of 800°c.
"We continued to remain on scene to ensure the fire did not reignite before confirming it was safe to hand the incident over to the National Grid."