Crews continue supporting residents after flat fire in Dorchester
Crews were called to Copper Street on Friday, 29 August
The emergency services and local council officers continue supporting locals after a blaze at a block of flats in Dorchester on Friday.
They were rushed to the scene on Copper Street at 6.43pm to reports of a flat fire, with crews from Dorchester (x2), Weymouth (x2), Bridport (x2) and Wareham along with a crew and the aerial ladder platform from Yeovil (Devon & Somerset FRS) all in attendance.
Six breathing apparatus wearers are using main lines and hose reel jets to extinguish. The surrounding properties have been evacuated as a precaution.
That later ramped-up to 13 appliances with additional crews from Blandford, Bere Regis, Beaminster, Maiden Newton and Martock (Devon & Somerset FRS) along with the command unit from Hamworthy and a support vehicle from Dorchester.
That night, the response wound down, with eight appliances on scene with relief crews mobilised from Portland, Lyme Regis and Shaftesbury.
The next day, at 6.45am it was confirmed the incident was scaled and the stop came in at 1.39am.
The incident was handed over to the building manager ahead of a reinspection of the building.
In their final update, at 9am, fire crews said: "The fire started on the balcony of the second floor and has affected four floors in total.
"The cause is believed to be accidental.
"We continue to work with the local authority structural engineers and British Red Cross who are helping to support residents and firefighters at the scene.
"No casualties have been reported."
Dorset Council said: "We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to DWFireRescue for their response to last night’s fire at Brewery Square in Dorchester.
"We’re also incredibly grateful to local businesses and community members who came together to support the emergency response and recovery efforts.
"Your cooperation, care, and resilience made a real difference. Thank you all."