The fire that gutted a a country house hotel was accidental, fire investigators have said, as crews called back when remains start 'smoking'

Six fire fighters from Liskeard and three firefighters in a water carrier were called back to Great Trethew Manor, Horningtops yesterday after a call was recieved from the site saying that the remains had started smoking.

Crews used two breathing apparatus and one hose reel jet to damp down the hotspots remaining.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said the cause was accidental.

 

 

UPDATE: Two appliances,a water carrier,two support vehicles and an officer remained on scene overnight using hose reels to continue to damp down. A fire investigation is taking place mid-morning to determine the cause of the fire.

Firefighters from across Cornwall and the SW are tackling a huge fire in a three storey manor house near Liskeard.

The building is a hotel, with holiday cottages and camping site nearby.

No-one is believed to be inside the hotel.

UPDATE 5pm: Cornwall Fire and Rescue say that crews are "still heavily committed at this time", and that relief crews are attending from St. Columb, St. Dennis, Bodmin, Wadebridge and St. Austell.

Mark Salter, of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The fire was very well developed and spreading rapidly.

"We tried to deploy firefighters internally, but the temperatures are so extreme and so intense that it is too great a risk, so as a result of the intense heat and the weakened structure which the fire service encountered, we had to withdraw crews to a defensive firefighting stance."

"We are confident at this stage that there is nobody in the building, no life risk, so from that point of view we are happy to fight the fire externally," he added.

An eyewitness said plumes of smoke were rising 100 ft high into the sky as firefighters battled the flames.

Crews were initially sent from Liskeard and Bodmin after a report of smoke coming from the roof at Great Trethew Manor, Horningtops, at 12:32pm today.

When they arrived further appliances were requested making a total of four, with two more and the aerial ladder platform sent swiftly due to the scale of the blaze.

A spokesman said: The fire is involving a detached three storey manor house, measuring thirty metres by twenty metres, the fire is located on the second floor, teams of firefighters are committed at this time using high pressure hosereel jets and main jets.

As the fire increased in scale, a total of eight appliances were at the scene by just before 2pm, alongside two water carriers.

By 2pm Cornwall Fire & Control had requested resources from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, with crews from Bodmin, Liskeard, Saltash, Looe, Callington, Lostwithiel, St. Dennis and Truro, alongside  resources from Devon.

Over fifty personnel are attending the incident.

Update 1445 hours: The property is reported as well alight, and broken through the roof, firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are using main jets and hosereel jets at this time. The high volume pump from Newquay has now been mobilised to the incident.

Further updates as and when received.

Falmouth Packet: