Exeter Cathedral Yard fire
The incident in Cathedral Yard on 28 October 2016 has been described as the largest fire in Exeter since the Second World War. Fire crews were at the scene for more than a week and 95 different fire engines were there for at least part of the time.
Once inside the Royal Clarence, our firefighters faced unsafe conditions after a wall collapsed and a firefighter nearly fell into the fire in the gallery next door. The decision to swiftly withdraw crews due to unsafe conditions was correct. Our firefighters tackled a very difficult blaze that was unpredictable and risked spreading to the whole of the high street. Something we successfully prevented.
People were saddened by the loss of the Royal Clarence Hotel but were grateful that the fire was prevented from spreading to other historically important buildings. No one was hurt as a result of the fire.
Timeline
Time of call - 05:11:13
First three appliances mobilised - 05:12:33
Time elapsed - 00:01:20
First attendance (Exeter Danes Castle) - 05:18:49
Time elapsed - 00:07:36
10 fire engines mobilised - 05:24:21
Time elapsed - 00:13:08
15 fire engines mobilised - 05:33:38
Time elapsed - 00:22:25
Fifth fire engine arrives - 05:40:06
Time elapsed - 00:28:53
Tenth fire engine arrives - 05:50:33
Time elapsed - 00:39:20
20 fire engines mobilised - 05:59:17
Time elapsed - 00:48:04
15th fire engine arrives - 06:04:16
Time elapsed - 00:53:03
20th fire engine arrives - 06:35:07
Time elapsed - 01:23:54
Fire service resources used (as of 7 November 2016)
Total pumping appliances used (includes repeat visits by the same appliance) |
231 |
Total number of firefighters on fire engines |
1,186 |
Different fire engines that attended (does not include repeat visits by the same appliance) |
95 |
Different fire service vehicles that attended |
135 |
Different aerial ladder platforms that attended |
5 |
Maximum number of firefighters on scene at the same time |
207 |
Maximum number of fire engines on scene at the same time |
38 |
Maximum number of fire service vehicles on scene at the same time |
57 |
Total firefighter hours at the incident |
12,094.61 |
Including total hours committed by on-call firefighters |
9,931.97 |
Different officers who attended (does not include repeat visits by the same officer) |
65 |
Officer hours at the incident |
549.59 |
Maximum number of officers on scene at the same time |
20 |
After the fire
Understandably, people had questions about how the fire service tackled the fire and what resources were used. The Service produced a report (PDF) of the incident to provide the communities of Devon and Somerset with the facts.
Cathedral Yard fire review
The Sector Commander responsible for the Royal Clarence area on the night of the fire claimed that parts of his account of the incident were purposefully kept out of the report. The allegation also implied that the fire which spread into the Royal Clarence Hotel was not previously identified or covered in other independent reports.
On 28 January 2019, the Service asked the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) to peer review the report and its findings. This was to provide an independent view from people who understand operational tactics and reporting. Read the Terms of Reference (PDF) for the review.
Experienced fire officers working on behalf of the NFCC reviewed the information collected by interviewing 21 people who either witnessed or were involved in the incident. Accounts were checked against each other to build an accurate picture of what happened. They also asked to speak with the Sector Commander for the Royal Clarence area, who declined to be interviewed.
On 20 December 2019, the independent review (PDF) by the National Fire Chief’s Council was published.
The NFCC review
Alex Hanson, Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, speaks about the publication of the Cathedral Yard NFCC review.