A BIN fire and an out of control bonfire saw Newton Abbot’s fire crew have to put a pin in their ladder training.

The crew of Newton Abbot Fire Station recently paid a visit to Teignbridge Propellers to practise their ladder pitches.

However, just as the crew sought to leave the station, a report of a fire came in.

It was a bin fire and, after using a hose jet reel to extinguish the blaze, returned to take part in the drills at the precision propeller manufacturer.

Crews started the drills by using both it 135 ladder (13.5 meters max height) and 105 ladder, (10.5 meters at max height) pitching them to various locations around the site.

‘This helps replicate a realistic environment, more so than our on station training tower’ a spokesperson for Newton Abbot Fire Station said.

‘The crew was then due to relocate to the town Quay to perform pumping drills’ the spokesperson added.

But that is when the crew were called away to a sound shout.

Plumes of thick smoke visible in the Teigngrace area and ,upon our arrival, the crew found a large, out of control bonfire.

Crews used a hose reel jet to tackle the fire, as well as two drag forks to pull the bonfire apart.

A spokesperson for Newton Abbot Fire Station said: ‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank Teignbridge Propellers for allowing us to use their site for our training this week.

‘The on call service heavily relies on local businesses allowing their staff to respond to emergencies as firefighters.

‘Not only does Teignbridge Propellers support us in our training, they also allow two of their employees to respond as firefighters for Newton Abbot fire station.

‘The flexibility they demonstrate is also replicated by many other businesses up and down Devon and Somerset which is a fundamental factor which allows fire appliances to remain available to respond.

‘So thank you to Teignbridge Propellers and all of the other companies and work places that allow their staff to respond as firefighters throughout DSFRS.’