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Blackdown Hall fire was 'caused by electrical fault' | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A severe fire at an Edwardian apartment block in Leamington Spa was probably caused by an electrical fault, a chief firefighter has 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. | 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. |
At its height 50 firefighters were tackling the blaze. One was hit by a falling roof slate. | |
It has also been revealed that a sprinkler system had not been fitted. | |
'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". | |
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 he was "pretty confident" the fire had been caused by an electrical fault. | |
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. | "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." | "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." |