Hampshire supermarket destroyed in freezer blaze
A Co-op supermarket in Hampshire has been destroyed by a fire which is believed to have started in a freezer.
Fire Crews attended the incident at the shop in Cowplain, Waterlooville at around 3pm on Saturday afternoon after smoke was seen coming from a unit in the shop.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue said the building in Milton Road was “rapidly engulfed by fire” and firefighters inside the building were forced to withdraw before the flames caused the roof to collapse.
Three people required treatment at the scene for the effects of smoke inhalation and one person was taken to hospital.
It is thought that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault in a freezer.
Phil Ponsonby, from Southern Co-operative, said: “We are very proud of the action that our colleagues in the store took to evacuate the building quickly, ensuring that no customers and colleagues were hurt. All colleagues undertake fire evacuation training and this paid off on Saturday. The store has been extensively damaged and will remain closed until further notice. We hope to be able to confirm the cause of the fire once a forensic investigation has been undertaken.”
Firefighters remained at the scene on Sunday for several hours, damping down to prevent the fire from reigniting.