Still no news on man 'unaccounted for' after huge house fire - one week after it happened

His next-of-kin have been informed, but the property still cannot be accessed

The search for a man who remains "unaccounted for" after a huge fire in North Devon still cannot take place.

Last Monday (December 2) we reported on a large blaze at a property in the Upcott area of Bideford which billowed smoke in to the air and could be seen for miles around.

Following the incident, police and the fire service revealed there was a man still "unaccounted for" but that a search of the premises could not take place due to the structural state of the building.

Today, a week on from the blaze, it is still not known when structural clearance will be granted so search teams can enter the premises.

Fire, police and ambulance crews were called to the house in the early hours of last Monday morning.  They found the building well alight with smoke visible from miles around.

In their latest statement issued last week, Devon and Cornwall Police said investigations into the incident were ongoing.

They said: "Officers were called by the ambulance service to a fire at a property in Upcott, Bideford, at around 6.50am on Monday 2 December.

"A male occupant is currently unaccounted for. His next of kin are aware.

"Investigations are currently ongoing whilst a scene examination is carried out.

"The incident is not believed to be suspicious at this time."

Speaking to Devon Live on the day of the blaze, fire incident commander Graham Rook told Devon Live: "We got called in the early hours of the morning to a report of a domestic fire.

"We sent two crews from Bideford and a crew from Torrington and Barnstaple, so four crews in total, as well as a water bowser to help us with water supplies.

"When crews first attended they confirmed there was a well developed fire within the property which was affecting both floors.

"I arrived 10 minutes after the first crews and can confirm the fire is on all floors and is coming through the roof as well.

"At this stage unfortunately we still have one person that's unaccounted for.

"We can't get access to the building at the moment because of stability issues, so we're awaiting a structural engineer to come in and give us some more information on where we can get access to at the moment."