Midnight evacuation as shop catches fire in Narborough Road, Leicester

Fire crews from across the city rushed to put out a fire which started in a closed shop just after midnight this morning (Tuesday). Two people had to be evacuated from a flat above the shop, which is in Narborough Road, West End, Leicester, close to the junction with Upperton Road.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said crews were returning to the scene this morning to carry out further checks. The fire is believed to have been started accidentally, firefighters said.

A spokeswoman said: “We had a call at 12.26pm today about smoke coming from a commercial property on the ground floor of a building in Narborough Road.

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“We sent four crews from the Central, West and South stations. It was confirmed as a fire inside the property. There was an evacuation of two people from an adjacent property while the fire was being extinguished.”

Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the building and the outside fire engines used three water jets to extinguish the flames from the outside. Fire crews confirmed that the fire was extinguished at around 2.40am.

The spokesman added: “The cause is believed to be accidental. We are returning to the property to re-inspect this morning.” There is no further information yet on the extent of the damage caused by the fire.