A MAN has been taken to hospital after a fire in Taunton town centre this afternoon (Wednesday, September 27).

The fire service said they found “smoke issuing from the building” as they arrived on the scene of a retail property fire on Corporation Street at around 1.05pm.

A cordon was in place and National Grid isolated power on the street, the service also said.

Somerset County Gazette: A photo showing emergency services on the scene in Corporation Street A photo showing emergency services on the scene in Corporation Street (Image: Newsquest)

A spokesperson said: “We attended a retail property fire on Corporation Street today at 1.05pm.

“The call came in to us from the ambulance service who called the fire service in for support.

“Smoke was issuing from the building on arrival. We sent three appliances and an ariel ladder.

“Our crews set up a cordon around the building. The national grid isolated power to the main part of Corporation Street.

“Our crews helped to put out the fire. One gentleman was put into the care of the ambulance service.”

Somerset County Gazette: A photo from the scene sent by one of our readersA photo from the scene sent by one of our readers (Image: Dominic Tilley)

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said: “We were called at 13:01hrs on Wednesday 27 September to an incident in Corporation Street, Taunton.

“We sent a rapid response vehicle, a double-crewed land ambulance, an operations officer, and a doctor. We conveyed one patient by land ambulance to Musgrove Park Hospital.”

The fire service spokesperson said crews left at 1.38pm