The roof of St Andrew's Church in Leicester has been "severely damaged" after a large fire broke out on Tuesday night. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said it received multiple calls to the church on Jarrom Street at 23:17 BST on Tuesday, and that there had been no casualties with all people accounted for on Wednesday.
At the height of the blaze, eight engines were at the scene, alongside two high-reach appliances. The service said its response had since been scaled back, although the incident remained ongoing.
What happened at St Andrew's Church?
Multiple firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the building to extinguish the fire and to protect other areas of the church. The fire service said the roof of the 160-year-old building had been "severely damaged" and that the blaze had sent "a smoke plume over the city".
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, the fire service said.
What disruption has the fire caused?
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said it was working with Cadent and Western Power to isolate gas and electricity supplies, and said several roads in the area were closed to traffic. A cordon remains at the scene on Wednesday.
Residents living nearby have been urged to keep their windows and doors closed.
What advice has the fire service given?
A spokesperson for the service said:
"We would like to take this opportunity to ask members of the public to please be careful during this ongoing heatwave with anything that could start a fire, whether in the countryside, or in urban areas.
"The warm, dry conditions mean fires can start easily and spread very quickly."
