A devastating fire swept through a car dealership in Bridgwater last night, destroying 39 vehicles and leaving a local chip van operator out of work. The blaze occurred at the Yeomans Skoda dealership, where 38 Skoda cars were completely destroyed, along with a chip van parked just opposite the dealership gate.
Robert Taylor, the owner of the damaged chip van, described the extent of the destruction. “I got a message from my daughter this morning about the fire near the yard overnight. My van was parked close to the fence,” he said. “The cars were burnt to a crisp; the wheels melted— it shows how intense the fire was.”
Robert’s van suffered significant damage, with the front engine burned out and plastic components melted. “I can’t operate my van anymore; it’s unusable. There’s no work for me now until the insurance process is sorted, and we don’t know how long that will take,” he added.
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The fire was first reported to Fire Control at around 11:13 pm on Tuesday, November 11, when multiple reports of black smoke came from the Hamp area in Bridgwater. Firefighters arrived to find multiple vehicles ablaze, prompting the request for additional fire engines.
Fire crews used water from a nearby canal and a variety of firefighting equipment, including ten breathing apparatus sets, main jets, foam jets, and hose reels to bring the fire under control. By 12:45 am, compressed air foam jets were used to help extinguish the flames, and by 3:15 am, the fire was fully out.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue confirmed the total loss of 39 vehicles and stated that the cause of the fire is under investigation. Meanwhile, Robert and other affected parties are left dealing with the aftermath of this destructive blaze.