A huge fire ripped through Thurmaston Shopping Centre in Leicestershire in the early hours of this morning, causing the roof to collapse and gutting several retail units, with residents nearby told to keep their windows and doors closed due to a large smoke plume.
Firefighters were called to the scene on Barkby Thorpe Lane at around 4am after the blaze broke out. At its peak, eight fire engines, two aerial appliances and more than 40 firefighters were deployed to bring the fire under control. The roof of the Mountain Warehouse store sustained severe damage in the blaze. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Local resident Jordan Slack, 29, described his shock at the scale of the incident. “I’ve come down this morning to get to the gym but obviously it’s been closed off,” he told LeicestershireLive. “I had photos come in from local WhatsApp groups of the fire around 5am. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it. Nothing has ever happened like this around here. When I first saw the pictures, I thought the fire would take the whole shopping centre but thankfully it was stopped before it grew further.”
By later in the morning, the majority of fire crews had left the scene and Barkby Thorpe Lane had reopened to traffic, though four fire engines and an aerial ladder remained in place as firefighters worked to ensure the blaze was fully extinguished.
According to Leicestershire Live, Puregym, Superdrug, Boots and Sports Direct were all expected to reopen shortly, while Greggs, Mountain Warehouse and M&S would remain closed. The fire service is also working to reopen the centre’s car park, which remains closed while the area is made safe.
