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| Blackdown Hall fire in Leamington 'still smouldering' | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A fire at an Edwardian apartment block in Leamington is "still smouldering" after 23 hours, firefighters have said. | |
| The blaze at Blackdown Hall started on the first floor of one of the flats at around 13:45 GMT on Wednesday before spreading to the roof. | |
| Twenty firefighters are still working to dampen down flames. | Twenty firefighters are still working to dampen down flames. |
| No residents were injured although one firefighter was taken to hospital after being hit by a falling roof slate. | No residents were injured although one firefighter was taken to hospital after being hit by a falling roof slate. |
| 'Spread significantly' | 'Spread significantly' |
| The fire service said the officer had been discharged from hospital with minor injuries. | The fire service said the officer had been discharged from hospital with minor injuries. |
| Residents spent the night in a rest centre set up at North Leamington School. | Residents spent the night in a rest centre set up at North Leamington School. |
| The fire service said the flat were the fire started had been "severely damaged" and 50 officers were used to tackle the blaze at its height. | |
| Resident Dan Moyser said: "When the fire started it was very small. Then it engulfed the whole house." | Resident Dan Moyser said: "When the fire started it was very small. Then it engulfed the whole house." |
| Gary Philips, deputy chief fire officer at Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the fire had spread through the roof space. | Gary Philips, deputy chief fire officer at Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the fire had spread through the roof space. |
| He said it could have been contained, had sprinklers been fitted in the building. | He said it could have been contained, had sprinklers been fitted in the building. |
| "Most of the building has been affected," he said. "The building was converted to flats which creates hidden roof voids and the fire had spread significantly. | "Most of the building has been affected," he said. "The building was converted to flats which creates hidden roof voids and the fire had spread significantly. |
| "There has been damage to most of the flats and we have had to cut away most of the woodwork. It's distressing for residents and I do feel for people who have invested in the property and now won't be able to live there for some time. | |
| "Had the developer fitted sprinklers in those premises when those flats were converted we would now not be having this conversation and families would not have been displaced." | |
| He said crews would continue to work at the scene until the fire was "completely extinguished". | |
| "If we were to leave the scene early and the fire reignited we could have a catastrophe on our hands," he said. | "If we were to leave the scene early and the fire reignited we could have a catastrophe on our hands," he said. |
| He said it was so far unclear what had caused the fire. | He said it was so far unclear what had caused the fire. |