Over 70 firefighters are currently tackling a large fire at a disused Leicester nightclub – an incident which has caused gridlock in some areas of the city.
Firefighters were called the the source of the fire, at the former Krystals nightclub on Gravel Street, at around 5:15am this morning (Tuesday, October 4).
Seven fire engines and three aerial ladder platforms are currently at the scene as firefighters tackle the blaze, which has caused some sections of the building to collapse. Over 70 firefighters were called to the site to deal with the fire, which is being tackled from above.
Large plumes of black smoke can be seen rising in to the sky as fire crews attempt to get the flames under control.
They can be seen for miles across the city.
Burleys Way, St Margaret’s Way and Church Gate are all closed, as is St Margaret’s bus station. Police have urged people to avoid the area, which is currently a seeing gridlock as a result of the incident.
“We received a call at 5:15am this morning to a property fire, and when crews arrived they found a developed fire within the building,” said Paul Weston, assistant chief fire officer for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue.
“They quickly sent an assistance message for additional resources, which we sent from our fire control and we currently have seven appliances, three aerial ladder platforms and a number of supporting appliances, enabling us to deal with the fire.
“We’ve got over 70 staff here at the moment dealing with the fire.”
When asked if there was anybody inside the building, he said: “At the moment we haven’t confirmed that all persons are accounted for, so we’re still treating it as persons reported.”
As a result of the incident, St George’s roundabout, city bound from St Matthew’s Way, has also now been shut.
The M1 Northbound between Junction 20 and Junction 21 has also been closed, with police urging commuters to find an alternative route.
Some nearby colleges have announced their closure, including Leicester College.
“We have made the decision to close St Margaret’s Campus this morning, due to smoke and difficulty travelling to the campus,” they tweeted.
The fire service has advised all premises in the area to keep their windows closed.
“We will be likely working at the scene for the majority of the day,” they added.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
More updates to follow.
