FIREFIGHTERS from Newton Abbot were called into action yesterday after routine standby duties turned into a major operation to tackle a fast-spreading fire along the cliffs at Broadsands, Paignton.

At around 1pm on Monday, August 10, crew from Newton Abbot Fire Station were travelling to Paignton Fire Station to provide standby cover while crews dealt with a boat fire in Dartmouth.

However, the crew never reached their intended destination after being mobilised to reports of a fire in the open along the cliff face at Broadsands.

While responding, crews received more than 50 emergency calls about the incident and that additional firefighters from Torquay Fire Station were also being sent to the scene.

On arrival, the Newton Abbot and Torquay crews found the situation was significantly worse than initially reported.

Flames had already spread into three neighbouring gardens, with an elderly woman trapped inside her home by thick smoke.

The incident commander ordered two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus to enter the property and rescue the woman.

After forcing entry, the firefighters, assisted by the woman’s neighbours, were able to lead her to safety.

At the same time, other firefighters deployed two separate hose lines, each stretching 54 metres, to tackle the flames in the gardens and begin an effective attack on the main fire front along the cliff.

Firefighting operations were also supported from the railway line below by the fire train supplied by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company.

The combined efforts of crews from Newton Abbot and Torquay, supported by the fire train, surrounded and contained the blaze before it could spread to nearby properties.

No injuries were reported.

Damage was limited to the cliff face and three gardens, with firefighters successfully preventing the fire from reaching the homes bordering the cliff.