Fire crews were scrambled to West Quay Shopping Centre in Southampton on New Year’s Eve following a fridge fire at Marks & Spencer. The blaze erupted just after 5.10pm on Saturday, December 31st, triggering an urgent response from Hampshire Fire and Rescue.
Two fire pumps and officers arrived quickly after reports of a fire inside the shopping complex. Staff were evacuated as a precaution, though the centre was already closed to the public at the time, with only some upper levels still open.
The source of the fire was pinpointed to a fridge unit inside the M&S food hall. Two firefighters, equipped with breathing apparatus, tackled the flames with two water jets. The store’s sprinkler system also kicked in, helping to control the blaze swiftly.
Five fire engines attended the scene. The HART (Hazardous Area Response Team) from South Central Ambulance and a command unit from Eastleigh were also dispatched. No injuries were reported.
A Hampshire Fire and Rescue spokesperson confirmed: “The small fire has been dealt with and is now out. Crews acted quickly to extinguish a fridge fire in the M&S food hall. The store’s sprinklers helped control the flames.”
The incident was declared over at 6.07pm, with no lasting disruption as most of the centre was already shut.
Originally published by UKNIP.
