Fire on the high street brings six fire engines out

Firefighters raced to Cornwall House at 55-57 High Street this afternoon to tackle a fire in a flat there.

Crews from Slough, Maidenhead, Langley fire stations and others - making six fire engines from across Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service - were there from 2pm to 4.30pm.

Upon arrival, crews discovered a kitchen fire in a flat on the fourth floor of the building.

Though the fire was relatively small - isolated to one room, without spreading any further - matters were complicated by its location.

The team from Langley Fire Station explained that a flat in a high rise presents extra operational problems, and the higher up it is, the more firefighters are needed.

At the scene was also an Incident Command Unit from Maidenhead Fire Station (a specialised vehicle packed with advanced tech for coordination) plus three officers, who are generally dispatched for more complex incidents.

Four crews and one officer from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, and one crew from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service were also sent.

People living in surrounding properties on the same level as the fire were evacuated, but were safe to return to their homes by the time fire crews left at 4.30pm.

Six firefighters - three teams of two - equipped with breathing apparatus went inside to tackle the fire using one main jet, and then cleared the smoke using a ventilation fan.

It is unknown the extent of the damage but no one was inside the property, nor was injured by the fire or smoke.

The cause of the blaze is also unknown at this time.