FIRE AT LEICESTERSHIRE SHOPPING CENTRE COLLAPSES ROOF SECTION

A fire broke out at Thurmaston Shopping Centre in Leicestershire in the early hours of Saturday morning, causing part of the roof of a Mountain Warehouse store to collapse. More than 40 firefighters and eight fire engines attended the incident. The fire has been extinguished, and photographs from the scene show smoke billowing from the building and a section of roof that had given way.

Residents in the area were advised to keep windows and doors closed as smoke spread through the locality. Several shops at the centre were forced to close following the fire. Greggs, Mountain Warehouse and M&S remained closed, whilst other retailers were expected to reopen on Saturday. The car park outside the shopping centre has partially reopened, though a cordon remains in place in front of the three affected stores.

A resident living near the shopping centre said the fire was the first significant incident at the location in approximately 20 years. The Independent contacted Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service for further comment on the incident. No injuries have been reported in relation to the fire.