Date: 17th April, 2025
Time: 6.38pm
Description: We were called at 6.38pm today (17 April) to Lancaster Road, Old Sarum to reports of a fire involving a partially derelict building. Crews from Amesbury, Salisbury (x2), Ludgershall alongside crew from Andover and Ringwood (Hampshire and Isle of Wight FRS) are currently in attendance. Additional crew and an aerial ladder platform from St Marys (Hampshire and Isle of Wight FRS) are also now on scene.
8.30pm: The building has partially collapsed and the fire is affecting an adjacent building. Firefighters are working hard to contain the fire and a command unit is now in attendance from Devizes. No casualties have been reported.
10.00pm: A further relief crew have been brought in from Amesbury and firefighters are continuing to tackle the blaze which is affecting two partially derelict buildings. They are using ground monitors and an aerial ladder platform to extinguish. Due to the age of the building, we suspect the smoke plume may contain asbestos but investigations are ongoing.
Local residents are advised to please keep windows and doors shut and stay inside as a precaution due to the smoke in the area.
Friday 18 April 06.30am: Overnight relief crews from Verwood, Shaftesbury, Blandford, Warminster, Ferndown, Cranborne, Westbury, Redhill Park, Gillingham and an aerial ladder platform from Swindon were on scene. Crews used multiple hose reel jets and main lines to extinguish and at 5.44am this morning, the incident was scaled back to two appliances. Remaining crews are now dampening down.
10am - The incident has now been scaled back to one pump. An investigation into the cause of the fire is now underway, working with Wiltshire Police.
12.30pm - Firefighters have now left the scene. There are still some wisps of smoke rising from the rubble but the incident has been handed back to the site owner. A reinspection will be carried out later today. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing. The advice about keeping doors and windows closed has been rescinded, and any ash or debris in the local area should be left for the wind/rain to clear.
7.30pm - A number of hotspots have been dealt with, and the stop came in at 7.20pm. A further reinspection will be held in the morning. Investigations into the cause of the fire are likely to carry on well into next week.
Wednesday 23 April - We are receiving a lot of queries about the cause of the fire. This is a complex investigation and we are continuing to work with Wiltshire Police to establish what caused this fire. We will of course update the community as soon as we are able.
Further updates will be provided here.
Location: Lancaster Road, Old Sarum, Salisbury, UK