A major fire at a charity shop on Newbridge High Street has successfully been put out.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called at 12.25pm today to reports that a commercial premises, measuring around 40 metres by 60 metres was alight. The building houses the St David’s Hospice charity shop and the Station Coffee Shop and is next to the Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Crews from Aberbargoed, Risca, Caerphilly, Maindee, and New Inn were at the scene tackling the blaze. In total, there were 36 firefighters and officers at the scene at the height of the fire.
A spokesman for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was extinguished at 4.05pm and that its cause was accidental.
A police helicopter was called and was used to observe the fire from the air.
Workers and shoppers were evacuated from the surrounding buildings and police closed the road. There were no reports of injury.
A small box of fireworks was found in the empty flats above the commercial premises, although these were incidental and were not the cause of the fire, a spokesman for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed.
Western Power Distribution isolated the power supply to the building and an officer from Caerphilly County Borough Council’s building control is checking the stability of the building.
Update Newbridge: Crews have evacuated 5 shops due to heavy smoke logging ventilation in progress
— Jennie Griffiths (@GriffithsJECtrl) February 11, 2015
Update Newbridge: Fireworks are involved in this fire, please do not be concerned if you hear them, our crews are fighting the fire
— Jennie Griffiths (@GriffithsJECtrl) February 11, 2015
Update Newbridge: Fire now extinguished, some crews will remain at site for a while
— Jennie Griffiths (@GriffithsJECtrl) February 11, 2015