CORNWALL county councillor, Kate Ewert (Labour, Rame Peninsula and St Germans Division), has described the local community’s heartbreak following a major fire on the Mount Edgcumbe Estate on Tuesday afternoon.
Visiting the scene less than 24 hours after the incident, Cllr Ewert saw first hand the devastation caused by the blaze to the Grade II listed building, which ripped through residential properties close to the Barrow Centre.
At the height of the fire, 40 fire service personnel from Torpoint, Liskeard, Saltash, St Austell and Launceston were in attendance, along with support from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue’s Crownhill Fire Station.
“The whole community are absolutely devastated,” said Cllr Ewert. “It’s been an extensive fire and the investigation starts this afternoon, after which we will know more.
“Because it’s a Grade II listed building, English Heritage will be involved and advise on how to repair the building, but for now my immediate thoughts are with the two tenants, who are estate workers here, who have lost everything in the fire. My priority is to make sure they are okay, that they have accommodation and, hopefully, we can replace some of their belongings.”
Firefighters using a series of pumps and an aerial ladder worked through the night to deal with the fire, which was first reported to the emergency services at 4.08pm on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Cornwall Fire and Rescue said: “On arrival, crews reported the roof was well alight. Shortly after this, they made four pumps and also requested the assistance of the incident command unit from Launceston. Later on, a further request was made for additional support from an aerial ladder platform, incident command unit and operational support vehicle.”
Cllr Ewert, along with South East Cornwall MP Anna Gelderd, both praised the efforts of the firefighters.
“It was a very intense first which took hold very quickly,” added Cllr Ewert. “I am very grateful to Cornwall Fire and Rescue, along with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, who all pulled together to contain the fire.
“Also, because of the way Mount Edgcumbe is run, both by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, there has been a real pulling together of the officers and teams across both authorities to make sure we are doing the right thing, not just for the people involved, but the businesses and the historic buildings.”
Cllr Ewert’s sentiments were echoed by Ms Gelderd, who added: “I am devastated to learn of the unfortunate incident that occurred yesterday at Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park. This has impacted several flats and businesses.
“I’d like to express great thanks to Cornwall Fire and Rescue, Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council for their swift response to this incident.
“I am pleased to hear that there have been no serious injuries. An extra thanks must go to Cornwall councillor Kate Ewert for supporting the efforts and sharing information yesterday evening. The community support has been phenomenal.”
The Mount Edgcumbe Estate is closed today while the full extent of the damage is assessed. Further information will be provided in due course.
