Latest update: Shop fire in Faversham

Latest update: Shop fire in Faversham  19-04-2017 (20 April): Firefighters remained at the scene of a large fire involving a vacant shop premises in Preston Street throughout the night, damping down remaining hotspots and checking multiple roof voids to make sure the fire did not spread to a range of adjoining flats. Six fire engines and a height vehicle attended. Firefighters fought hard to contain the fire to the ground floor shop premises and the first floor and roof directly above it, using fog spike to penetrate roof voids of neighbouring flats, while the height vehicle was used as a water tower. The fire was brought under control by around 11pm last night. Surrounding flats were evacuated, however all residents were able to return to their homes in the early hours of this morning. Attendance was reduced to two fire engines at around 1pm and crews continued to damp down remaining hotspots, leaving the scene with Kent Police shortly before 8am today. Crews will return during the morning to make further checks. The cause of the fire is not yet known and is being investigated. UPDATE 11.30pm: Firefighters are continuing to deal with a large fire at an empty shop premises in Preston Street, Faversham. Six fire engines and a height vehicle are in attendance. Five flats were evacuated and everyone has been accounted for. The fire, which spread to the first floor and roof of the premises, has now been brought under control and crews have used fog spike and hose reel jets to prevent the fire spreading through the roof to surrounding properties. Crews are continuing to extinguish remaining pockets of fire and checking for remaining hotspots, and carrying out salvage operations in neighbouring shops. The road has been closed while firefighting operations continue. There are no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is not yet known. Firefighters are dealing with a large fire on the ground floor of a two-storey terraced building used as a shop in Preston Street, Faversham. Six fire engines and a height vehicle are in attendance and crews wearing breathing apparatus are tackling the blaze using hose reel jets, covering jets and fog spike. The cause is not yet known.