A fierce fire erupted on the 12th floor of a 19-storey tower block in Southampton’s Redbridge area on Sunday evening. Flames, believed to have started in a kitchen, illuminated the skyline and prompted a significant emergency response.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service deployed fifty firefighters from across Southampton to tackle the blaze at Redbridge Towers on Cuckmere Lane. Reports of thick smoke filling corridors on the 12th and 13th floors led to urgent calls just after 5pm.
Seven ambulances, twenty police officers, and ten fire crews arrived at the scene. The neighbourhood was sealed off with a large police cordon as residents were evacuated amid choking smoke and flying debris.
One shaken resident said, “I was led through thick acrid smoke to escape. The flat was totally gutted, windows bursting as crews arrived.”
The incident comes days after the seventh anniversary of the deadly Shirley Towers fire, where two firefighters lost their lives battling a blaze caused by collapsing cabling. The community remains on edge as Hampshire Fire treats this as a major incident.
Authorities have advised all residents to stay put for safety reasons. Neighbours suspect a candle may have sparked the fire, but the cause remains under investigation.
Ten fire pumps and an aerial ladder platform were deployed to the scene. South Central Ambulance Service brought in the Hazard Area Response Team. Road closures were implemented to aid emergency access.
UPDATE: Hampshire Fire confirmed that everyone escaped unharmed, with minor smoke inhalation treated at the scene. The blaze was contained to a single flat, which suffered severe damage. Police and fire services will conduct a joint investigation into the cause. Temporary accommodation will be offered to those displaced.
Originally published by UKNIP.
