A Poundstretcher store in Staffordshire is set to be demolished after a blaze ripped through the building in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Fire crews were called just after 7.00 am on Monday (28 February) to find the three-storey, 80m x 30m building in town centre well alight. At its height, around 60 firefighters using 10 fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms tackled the blaze.
Police cordoned off several streets in the area and residents of neighbouring flats were evacuated as a precaution.
According to a report on This is Staffordshire, firefighters were hampered by the stores roller shutters, which they had to cut away before breaking the glass frontage of the store.
Newcastle PoundStretcher fire from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Se on Vimeo.
Dan Gray, head of asset management and development at Aspire Housing, told the website: "Residents of our flats were evacuated by the fire service and offered shelter at the Salvation Army centre in Bridge Street, or advised to stay with friends or relatives.”
Firefighters were able to scale down their presence to five fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms at around 9.30 am.
The building is reported to be unstable and is due to be demolished. One report estimates the cost to demolish and rebuild the property at around £1 million.