A crew shortage left Teignmouth Fire Station unable to respond when a fire broke out at the town’s library, with firefighters now speaking out to explain what happened and renew calls for more recruits.
In a statement shared with the community, Teignmouth Fire Station said it could not attend the incident because there were not enough available firefighters to mobilise safely.
The station said a minimum crew of four firefighters is needed to attend an incident. This must include a qualified driver, another firefighter trained in incident command, and two trained in breathing apparatus.
When the fire at Teignmouth Library was reported, the station said it was one firefighter short of that minimum requirement.
Teignmouth Fire Station said it always aims to provide a 24-hour response, but added that this is not always possible. Firefighters said this can happen when crews are already dealing with another incident or when there are not enough staff immediately available.
The station described on-call firefighters as “the backbone of the Fire & Rescue Service”, both in Teignmouth and more widely across the UK and Europe.
It said these firefighters are highly trained and balance the role with their main jobs and personal commitments while helping protect their communities.
The fire station said it is actively recruiting and that new applicants are already progressing through the process, but added that more people are still needed.
Firefighters are urging anyone who lives or works in the Teignmouth area, can provide day and weekend cover, and wants to support the community to consider applying.
The station thanked residents for their support and understanding following the incident.
