In Staines-upon-Thames, a tower block’s roof caught fire. The public was asked to avoid the area, but everyone was reported safe.
A significant smoke cloud was observed as firefighters battled a fire in a Surrey town center.
The building’s owner claimed that welding work being done on the roof was the cause of the fire, which broke out at the top of a 14-story block.
Eight fire engines have been responding to the Staines town center fire since 12:35 BST, according to the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).
The building on Elmsleigh Road, which is presently under construction and unoccupied, is next to the Tothill multi-story parking lot. This is where the fire originated.
It is requested that residents stay away from the area and close their windows.
Surrey Police verified that South Street and Church Street were closed off portions of Thames Street and that the force was present to assist the fire department.
The fire department also reported that Riverside Gardens, Clarence Street, and the Staines Bridge were closed.
Although the fire was now contained, a spokesperson stated that firefighters anticipated remaining on the scene for “a while longer”.
They reported that everyone was safe, and paramedics evaluated four patients for possible smoke inhalation. According to a representative for South East Coast Ambulance, one was sent to the hospital for additional care.
Its hazardous area response team is on the site, they continued.
It’s too early to determine, according to SFRS group commander Aaron Spencer, whether the recent heatwave contributed to the fire’s ignition.
Berkshire and London fire departments have been called in to help with the operation.
The owner of the structure is Fairview New Homes.
According to a spokesman, the entire construction site was evacuated and the fire department was alerted right away.
They continued: “We would like to thank the fire brigade for their swift and effective action as well as apologise to the residents and businesses of Staines for any concern or inconvenience caused.”
Residents utilizing the adjacent Staines Community Centre have been safely evacuated, according to the Spelthorne Borough Council.
Reports from those in the vicinity of the incident stated that they heard a loud explosion.
A neighbor named Laura Purkess reported hearing a bang coming from within her home.
She claimed: “The roof was already very much on fire, and it was like a ‘boom’ noise loud enough for me and all of my neighbors to run out onto the street.”
“It began on one side of the roof and quickly moved throughout. Then there were some additional loud noises that crashed.”
According to a spokesman for the fire service, no cause has been mentioned as of yet.
