A FIRE in Minehead left a commercial premises badly damaged by smoke.

Firefighters from the town were called to a blaze in The Avenue at around 4.15pm and the crew found smoke issuing from a chimney, prompting calls for a second crew to attend.

"Crews confirmed smoke issuing and investigated using breathing apparatus, hose reel jets, positive pressure ventilation and thermal imaging cameras," said a Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson.

"Crews extinguished a fire within the ground floor kitchen of the commercial property.

"Smoke logging of the above flats was cleared using ventilation."

The cause of the fire was deemed as accidental ignition, the spokesperson said.

There was a small amount of fire damage and a large amount of smoke damage to the premises, they added.