FIRE crews from Minehead and Bampton tackled a large farm vehicle blaze on Exmoor on Friday afternoon (July 12) which threatened to set light to the surrounding area.

A telehandler was completely destroyed in the fire, which happened shortly before 5 pm in a field off Quarme Lane, Exton, near Dulverton.

A telehandler was destroyed when it caught fire in Exton, near Dulverton. Exmoor
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The vehicle was ‘well alight’ by the time firefighters arrived and some of the surrounding grass was also burning.

The telehandler driver escaped unharmed.

The firefighters immediately went to work to contain the incident and put out the grass fire and called for a water foam carrier from Barnstaple Fire Station.

Minehead firefighters helped put out an agricultural vehicle blaze in Exton, near Dulverton. Exmoor
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They prevented the flames spreading to surrounding areas with only about 270 sq ft of grass lost, but the telehandler completely burned out.

Two firefighters wore breathing apparatus to approach the blaze and a hose reel to put it out, with a thermal imaging camera to check for hotspots.