PICTURES & VIDEO: Bridgwater college campus workshops 'completely destroyed' by fire

The blaze erupted at the campus, in College Way, Bridgwater, at around 3.30am, with 15 fire crews from across the county attending the scene.

Motorsport and motorcycle training workshops are understood to have been 'completely destroyed' by the fire.

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A spokesperson for the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said in the early hours: "There are 15 Fire Engines from Bridgwater, Taunton, Burnham on Sea, Nether Stowey, Street, Glastonbury, Wellington, Somerton, Cheddar, Winscombe and Weston Super Mare and various specialist appliances and officers currently dealing with it. 

"People in the local area are being advised to keep their windows shut at this time and to avoid the area."

At around 6.30am, the spokesperson added: "All the single storey sections of the building are involved in the fire.

"Crews are currently containing the fire and protecting fire spread to the other parts of the building."

By around 8am, the fire was under control, with crews still on site assessing the damage.

Also on site was college principal, Andy Berry, who told your Mercury the workshops, which were housed in a building constructed in 1990/91, had been damaged.

"It has severely affected the motorsport and motorcycle training workshops," he said.

ASSESSING THE DAMAGE: Andy Berry, principal of Bridgwater & Taunton College

"Those workshops are completely destroyed.

"We haven't got many students in at the moment, obviously, due to the pandemic.

"There was nobody in the building, it was all locked up.

"The good news, in one way, is that because of the arrangement we have - we have lots of different buildings - means most areas are unaffected.

"But I found out at about 5am and am down here just trying to get a sense of the impact this will have."

The college is closed to staff and students today (Thursday) while fire crews remain on site and investigations into the fire continue.