Poundstretcher Blackwood: Crews tackle ‘large’ shop fire
South Wales Fire and Rescue say the blaze at the Poundstretcher store in High Street started at about 02:00 BST on Wednesday and took six hours to bring under control.
The road is closed and people are being urged to stay away from the area while those nearby should keep windows and doors shut.
The building has been declared unsafe.
Crews from Cardiff, Merthyr and Aberdare areas have been at the scene. Six engines and two hydraulic platforms have been used to tackle the flames as well as four other powerful water jets. At one point there was 14 appliances at the scene.
By 08:15 BST, the fire service said the blaze had been brought under control and the incident was being scaled down.
A number of fire crews including a hydraulic platform will remain damping down.
Infant and nursery unit destroyed in blaze
A school in Bulwark near Cheptsow has lost it’s infant and nursery departments after a huge fire broke out in the early hours of Friday morning.
Thornwell Primary school was closed for half term at the time of the fire with pupils due to return on Monday 6th June. Linda Davies who is the head teacher at the school said: “It’s just heart breaking. All the hard work, all the children’s, well everything that they’ve ever done over the last year has just completely gone up in smoke.”
A statement from Monmouthshire County Council was released saying: “A fire broke out at Thornwell Primary School, Chepstow, in the early hours of Friday morning. It has completely destroyed the infant building, which included three classrooms, the nursery unit and infant hall. We are assessing the situation and it is hoped that the school will be open early next week with infant pupils being accommodated in the junior building.”
No casualties were reported. An investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the blaze.