Dozens of fire crews spent last night battling a fire in Totnes which started in a ground-floor conservatory and spread through the whole house and the adjoining property.

Five people were evacuated from properties at Broomborough Drive as crews from Totnes, Paignton, Buckfastleigh, Paignton, Ashburton, Honiton, Bovey Tracey and Torquay fought the blaze.

The owner of the property raised the alarm after the fire broke out in their conservatory at 11.23pm.

It quickly spread up into the first floor and roof space of the property before spreading into the attic and adjoining house.

A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We received a call from an owner of a property reporting a fire within the property.

“Fire control immediately mobilised one fire appliance from Totnes, one fire appliance from Paignton, one fire appliance from Buckfastleigh and one duty officer to attend this incident.

“On arrival the incident commander confirmed a fire located in the conservatory of the property and believed to be spreading to further parts of the ground flood.

“Crews promptly got to work with four breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets, one safety jet and two thermal imaging cameras.

“At 11:54pm the incident commander requested a further two fire appliances at this incident and one aerial ladder platform.

“Fire control immediately mobilised one fire appliance from Paignton, one fire appliance from Ashburton, incident command unit from Honiton, incident support unit from Bovey Tracy, a further two duty officers and the aerial ladder platform from Torquay to attend this incident.”

Around midnight, the incident commander confirmed the fire had spread from the ground floor to the first floor and roof, and the property’s solar panels.

Crews continued to battle the fire wearing six sets of breathing apparatus and using two main jets, two hose reel jets and one safety jet.

The incident commander also called for another fire appliance to be mobilised to the incident for breathing apparatus. Fire control promptly mobilised one fire appliance from Torquay, the welfare unit from Ivybridge and a fire investigation officer to attend the scene.

The fire spokesman continued: “At 1.09am the incident commander confirmed additional fire spread to roof void and adjoining domestic property.

“Three persons evacuated before arrival of the fire service and two persons were assisted in their evacuation from the adjoining property as a precaution.

“At 2.23am breathing apparatus now discontinued and steady progress was being made cutting away and checking the ridge line.

“Two hose reel jets, one safety jet and small tools with cutting equipment was still in use.

“The incident commander confirmed the incident would be scaling back to four fire appliances with further scaling back to be made.”

At around 2.30am a fire appliance from Teignmouth was mobilised for relief and crews spent the night continuing to turn over and dampen down using one hose reel jet, one thermal imaging camera and lighting.

A fire appliance from Newton Abbot was mobilised for relief at the scene at 7.34am and the incident remains ongoing.