Shop roof collapses in fire

A shop in Waterlooville was destroyed after it was engulfed by fire yesterday afternoon.

Flames spread quickly through the Co-op building on Milton Road, Cowplain, causing the collapse of the roof despite the best efforts of more than 30 firefighters.

Control room operators received the 999 call from an employee at the shop at 14:51, reporting smoke issuing from the back of a freezer inside the store. The control operator advised the staff to get out of the shop immediately and crews arrived on the scene within five minutes.

The single-storey building was completely taken over by the fire and crews from Waterlooville, Horndean, Cosham and Southsea used four sets of breathing apparatus, four jets and the aerial ladder platform to extinguish the blaze.

Three people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation by South Central Ambulance Service, one of whom was taken to hospital as a precaution. There were no further injuries.

• UK

Firefighters have spent this evening tackling a fire at a shop in Cowplain in Portsmouth. They are investigating the blaze on Milton Road, but are not treating it as suspicious. The roof of the building has collapsed. Nobody was injured.

• UK

Hampshire Fire and Rescue are currently tackling a fire at a Co-op in Cowplain near Portsmouth. More as we get it.

• UK