A BUILDING partially collapsed and residents were urged to keep doors and windows closed as firefighters battled a huge blaze in Old Sarum.
Crews were sent to the scene, at Hanger 3, in Lancaster Road, at 6.38pm last night amid reports of a fire at the partially-derelict building.
Firefighters from Amesbury, Salisbury and Ludgershall, alongside crews from Andover and Ringwood (Hampshire and Isle of Wight FRS) were at the scene.
An additional crew and an aerial ladder platform from St Marys (Hampshire and Isle of Wight FRS) followed.
At around 8.30pm, firefighters said the building had “partially collapsed and the fire is affecting an adjacent building”.
“Firefighters are working hard to contain the fire and a command unit is now in attendance from Devizes,” a Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said.
“No casualties have been reported.”
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At around 10pm, a further relief crew was been brought in from Amesbury as firefighters continued to tackle the blaze in two partially derelict buildings.
“They are using ground monitors and an aerial ladder platform to extinguish,” the spokesperson said.
“Due to the age of the building, we suspect the smoke plume may contain asbestos but investigations are ongoing.
“Local residents are advised to please keep windows and doors shut and stay inside as a precaution due to the smoke in the area.”
This morning, at around 6.30am, overnight relief crews from Verwood, Shaftesbury, Blandford, Warminster, Ferndown, Cranborne, Westbury, Redhill Park, Gillingham and an aerial ladder platform from Swindon were on the scene.
“Crews used multiple hose reel jets and main lines to extinguish and at 5.44am this morning, the incident was scaled back to two appliances,” the spokesperson added.
“Remaining crews are now dampening down.”
The cause of the fire is unknown, but Wiltshire Police has urged anyone in the area around the time the fire started to contact them.
A spokesperson said: “Please avoid the area and respect cordons – they are in place to protect you.
“Enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing.
“Anyone who was in the area shortly before the fire began, between 6pm and 6.30pm, is asked to contact 101 quoting log 262 of today’s date (April 17).”
The destruction and vandalism of Britain’s oldest airfield since it was closed to aircraft 7 years ago, is a disgrace… they have made this green field site now ‘brown field’ ready for developers to make a millions….. no wonder Britain now has no aircraft industry!