Fire at Exeter Chiefs ground
Sandy Park remains fully open for business despite a kitchen fire at the venue overnight.
Firefighters from the Devon and Somerset Fire Service were called to the stadium in the early hours of this morning following the blaze, which was restricted to an office in the downstairs kitchen area.
The fire, which has caused minor smoke damage, was safely extinguished and no one was injured during the incident.
Exeter Rugby Club chairman and chief executive, Tony Rowe OBE, said: "Despite the fire, the Sandy Park kitchen remains fully operational and will have no effect on the business or any planned events taking place at the venue either today or in the coming days."
Initially, one fire appliance from Middlemoor was mobilised to the incident at 3.19am.
On arrival, crews confirmed there was a slight smell of burning and began investigating with a thermal image camera. Additional appliances were requested which attended from Danes Castle and Topsham along with an Operational Assurance Officer.
The seat of the fire was found to be in the ground floor kitchen of the stadium.
The flames were extinguished using two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet, one safety jet, a positive pressure fan, a thermal image camera and short extension ladder. Approximately 20m of the kitchen was damaged by fire and a further 250 square metres of the building suffered smoke damage.
The cause of the fire was accidental.
