FIRE crews from Tavistock, Princetown and Yelverton raced to Kelly College on Tuesday morning to tackle a blaze in one of the residential buildings, writes Alan Gregory.
Smoke was pouring out of second master David Wilson's first floor window by 10.30, from a fire which appears to have started in an airing cupboard.
Mr Wilson was away at the time and the rest of the building was evacuated while firefighters tackled the blaze. Extensive damage was caused to part of the newly decorated first floor, but no-one was injured.
College bursar Jim Larby said: 'We tried to tackle it ourselves but there was too much smoke. We shut the door, evacuated everyone and called the fire brigade straight away.'
The four fire engines were joined by ambulance and police back-up.
Tavistock's fire chief Chris Neale, who co-ordinated the operation, said: 'We could see smoke coming from the first floor. The bursar said there was an airing cupboard, where he thought the fire was. He gave us a plan of the building too, which was very helpful.'
Two officers in full breathing apparatus went in to tackle the fire, but Mr Neale said there was concern about 'flashover' and 'backdraft' as the heat in the building was so intense and two more were sent in as back-up.
Two others were sent to secure the floor above and a fourth team went to the dormitory next door, where they rescued a terrified cat which was given oxygen to counter the effects of smoke inhalation.
Mr Neale said: 'If they hadn't called us when they did the damage could have been a lot worse.'
And he praised the fire precautions in the building which kept the damage relatively localised.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated. It is not thought to be suspicious.