After start of fire close damaged platform (6)

I believe the answer is:

focsle

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'platform' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'after start of fire close damaged' is the wordplay.
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'start of' indicates taking the first letters.
'damaged' indicates anagramming the letters.
The first letter of 'fire' is 'f'.
'close' anagrammed gives 'ocsle'.
'f' put next to 'ocsle' is 'FOCSLE'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for focsle that I've seen before include "crew's quarters" , "In brief, a forecastle" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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