Flat fire and gas leak prompts evacuation

A number of homes were evacuated on Monday evening following the discovery of a gas leak in a block of flats in the Stonehouse area of Plymouth.

The Fire Service was called to a report of a fire within a flat on Stoke Road shortly after 8.30pm.

Fire Engines from Greenbank and Camels Head were sent to the incident along with an aerial ladder platform from Crownhill.

On arrival the crews confirmed that this was a fire within a fourth floor flats kitchen and got to work fighting the fire using a hose reel jet, two sets of breathing apparatus and a thermal imaging camera.

Crews also confirmed that there was a fault within the gas intake supply at the location and everybody within the vicinity was evacuated from their homes. An ambulance was also on scene treating casualties for smoke inhalation. Some residents had attempted to tackle the fire prior to the arrival of the Fire Service.

The fire was successfully extinguished by crews but the kitchen was severely damaged by fire. A Wales and West Engineer attended to ensure the gas was isolated and the leak was fixed. Two people were treated by the Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation and police, Fire Investigations Officers along with a specialist Dog Unit from Cornwall attended to try to ascertain the cause of the fire.