Street sealed off after blaze drama at Ludlow flat

Part of a street in Ludlow was sealed off today after a fire broke out on the top floor of one of the town's most historic buildings.

The occupants of the flat evacuated the premises and the street was blocked off to allow firefighters to put out the fire and secure the area. The fire broke out in the bathroom of a flat in the former Angel Hotel in Broad Street at about 7.30am.

The blaze started after a fan heater caught light. The building, which also houses the Shropshire Star offices, was cordoned off while firefighters investigated and a clean-up operation was taking place at the flat this morning.

The occupants of the flat were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but did not suffer any serious injuries.

A tenant in the flat, who did not want to be named, said she had switched the fan heater on early in the morning and smelled burning plastic.

She said: "When I returned to the bathroom there was smoke everywhere. I closed the door, got my partner out of bed as quickly as possible and we got out of the building.

"I tried to call the fire brigade while I was inside but there was smoke everywhere and it was just too much for me.

"The road was partly blocked to allow the fire engine down.

"But people were still able to get by on the other side of the road."

Rose Pearce, a photographer for Shropshire Newspapers, said: "Part of the road was cordoned off and the building was evacuated while the firefighters investigated."

The building is close to a series of businesses on the street, including De Grey's Tea Rooms, curry houses and stationery shops.

A spokeswoman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said two fire engines and an operations officer attended the scene.

The spokeswoman said: "The fire was isolated in the bathroom and did not spread any further."

She added firefighters used two breathing apparatus, a hose reel jet and a thermal imaging camera while they were putting the fire out.

Firefighters spent more than an hour at the scene before the street was fully cleared.