25 firefighters tackle blaze at Cumbrian garage
Last updated at 20:13, Sunday, 27 January 2013
An investigation is underway after fire ripped through the garage area of a Cumbrian petrol station this afternoon.
Emergency services were called to the blaze in a large building at the P&R Benn Filling Station in Cockermouth shortly after 3.30pm.
Twenty-five firefighters from Cockermouth, Aspatria, Maryport, Keswick and Frizington tackled the blaze.
The fire appears to have caused major damage, with large holes clearly visible in the 30m by 40m building at the front of the Station Road site, which is just yards from the town's fire station.
Eyewitness Eleanor Martin was working at nearby Jordan's Jungle play centre when she realised something was wrong.
"We thought our own kitchen had something burning in it, then we saw thick black smoke.
"Then we started hearing popping. I came out and had a look and saw it was the garage.
"There was just thick black smoke and then flames coming out of the roof. The flames were coming from the main building.
"I feel really sorry for them. From what I can see I'd be very surprised if they haven't lost everything."
While fire crews tackled the blaze, police closed off part of Station Road, diverting traffic away from the scene.
Traffic restrictions were lifted at about 6pm.
First published at 18:40, Sunday, 27 January 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
Fantastic work by the emergency services to avert a real disaster.
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Mike anybody with any common sense would stay away from a fire especially when it was at a petrol station, the fire fighters have enough to do without putting up red and white tape
Posted by albert on 29 January 2013 at 12:20