TWO men miraculously escaped with shock and cuts to their hands when a spark from a grinder they were using in a shed at Haldon Quarry set fire to the building.

They were treated at the scene by ambulance paramedics. The single-storey building, which was quickly well alight, contained oxyacetylene and propane cylinders. One cylinder exploded. In the blaze, at around 3.20pm on Tuesday, the fire spread to adjacent vehicles and a high voltage electricity cable was burnt through and lying on the ground.

Firefighters from Exeter and a 4x4 from Dawlish were sent to the scene and on arrival immediately requested the water bowser and a third fire appliance from Exeter. Western Power was called to isolate the area and police put a 250-metre cordon round the site and sealed off the Haldon Ridge road between its junction with the A38 for several hundred metres along the Dunchideock road.

With the fire involving the cylinders intensifying – a number had vented and one large cylinder was still in the building – fire crews were also forced to stay 250 metres back. When it was clear the fire had substantially died down, a ground monitor was used, being fed from open water to cool the area down.

Firefighters then used two main jets and crews using four sets of breathing apparatus went into the area to confirm the type of cylinders which could still be involved. Two ground monitors stayed in use l From page 1 and a fire crew remained throughout the night. Police still had the road sealed off on Wednesday.

The fire, plumes of black smoke from which could be seen for miles around, nearly put Tuesday evening's National Hunt meeting at Exeter Racecourse in jeopardy. Despite difficulties with power early on, the meeting still went ahead on time.

On Wednesday the Forestry Commission closed some of the trails at the Haldon Forest Park. The entire mountain bike area, including the red run, black run and freeride area, and the adventure cycle trail were closed on safety grounds.