FIREFIGHTERS from Okehampton and North Tawton were forced to use breathing apparatus to tackle a blaze at Marshall Joinery in Sampford Courtenay on Monday.
The three fire appliances were called to the building at about 4pm to tackle the blaze, which was in an industrial extraction unit.
Okehampton station officer Ian Donovan said: ?The fire was quickly brought under control, but it was very difficult to get to because access had to be made into the machinery ducting and breathing apparatus had to be worn to get into the extraction unit.?
Mr Donovan said the 15-strong workforce had to be evacuated from the building because of the fire.
Okehampton firefighters were kept busy during the last week.
Crews attended a road traffic collision on the A30 near Sourton on Sunday, in which a driver had to be cut free from his car before being taken to hospital.
Firefighters also tackled car fires at Folly Gate and Drews Cottage on Monday, and yesterday (Wednesday), the crew was called to a collision involving a car, lorry and a tractor at Stowford Cross at about 7.30am.
No-one was seriously hurt in the incident.