Fire crews have been fighting a huge fire at a barn near Winkleigh all afternoon.
The fire service received reports of a fire at Newlands Farm, Downland at around 1.40pm today.
Fire engines from Hatherleigh, Torrington and North Tawton were sent out as well as the water bowser from Barnstaple.
On the way Hatherleigh crews could see a large plume of smoke from several miles away and called for a fourth engine from Chulmleigh as well as the incident command vehicle and a support pump from Ilfracombe.
When they got there crews found a farm building measuring 100metres by 40metres with hay, stray and manufacturing equipment on fire.
At 2.04pm another two engines from Okehampton were called for and at 2.12pm crews asked for the environmental protection unit and a support pump from South Molton to attend.
The Torridge Environmental Health department and the Environment Agency were made aware of the blaze at 2.35pm.
At 2.49pm fire crews asked for another water bowser and police to attend.
Western Power Distribution were then asked to go to the scene at 3.17pm. Cylinders began exploding on the scene at this point.
The fire is ongoing.
A police spokesman confirmed police did not attend and that road closures are in place at Furze Park Cross and Staples Cross.
They also confirmed arson is not suspected at this stage.
Torridge District Council confirmed they were officially made aware of the fire at 4.48pm.
However they are not actively involved in the incident at present.
Western Power Distribution confirmed they were asked to attend by the fire service for precautionary reasons because they had equipment near to the scene.
6.29pm update:
North Devon group commander for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the fire was taking place in a commercial premises which sold pet bedding.
He said a diesel tank and three propane cylinders "fully exploded" at the scene and that the fire had spread to two other buildings nearby.
He said firefighters were looking to stop the fire spreading any further.
A message was previously given out that asbestos may have been present in the building, but Mr Blackburn confirmed this was found not to be the case.
"The fire we believe was accidental," he added. "It came from a machine that overheated but it spread very rapidly."
Mr Blackburn reiterated the danger of cylinders being involved in fires, and stressed they should be stored outside of buildings when not in use.
He confirmed there were no casualties in the fire.
