A full investigation into the cause of a major fire at a commercial building in Luton will take place after Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service crews tackled a blaze which had been declared a major incident.
Crews were stood down on Saturday afternoon (15 August) after the fire broke out at a bathroom showroom in Selbourne Road in the early hours, with 10 fire engines, three aerial platforms, two water carriers and an incident command unit sent to the scene to fight the fire.
Properties in Wingate Road were evacuated and residents in surrounding areas were warned to keep their windows and doors closed because of heavy smoke.
Jason Tai, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said in a video on Saturday evening: “I’m pleased to say that, through the efforts of our crews, the fire is now nearly extinguished.
“Our crews did a tremendous job, containing the fires to the building’s origin and preventing it spreading to nearby units.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to all of the residents and those in the immediate vicinity, that avoided the scene, with the road closures, and also closed their windows to make sure that they didn’t have any further smoke spread in their buildings.”
Residents who had been evacuated, were later able to return to their properties, although there was still no access to commercial buildings in Selbourne Road.
The blaze also affected water supplies in the area, with low pressure or no water reported while firefighters used large quantities of water to tackle the fire.
On Saturday, Luton North MP Sarah Owen wrote on her social media pages: “Please continue to follow the official advice from Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service. Thank you to all the firefighters who fought to keep everyone safe and tackle the blaze, the police who secured the area and the council who are working to ensure that people who need support get it.
“I have spoken with Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue service and thanked them for their dedication but we can all do our part to support them by giving them the space they need to continue to do their jobs as safely as possible.”
Firefighters remained at the scene overnight on Saturday, dampening down hotspots, with at least one fire engine remaining there throughout Sunday.
Luton Council have said that road closures will remain in place overnight into Monday moring on Selbourne Road between the junction of Waller Avenue and near the junction with Wingate Road, plus at the Wingate Junction with Arundel Road
Another review will take place on Monday morning, but the closures can only be lifted when it is deemed safe to do so.
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