Neighbours evacuated during huge blaze in Ravensthorpe

Firefighters tackle building fire on Huddersfield Road, Ravensthorpe. Photo sent in by reader George Andrew

Police and firefighters were called to the blaze at the two-storey building on Huddersfield Road at 5.46pm yesterday (Sunday).

The fire has completely torn through the roof of the building and with fears over structural damage some residents are still unable to return to their home this morning.

Watch commander Richard Carr, of Dewsbury Fire Station’s blue watch, said: “It was a severe fire. All the building was involved. There was lots of thick black smoke and flames were coming through the roof.

“There was no access to the back of the building and the alleyway to the side is very narrow which meant we could only tackle it from the front until the CARP arrived.

“Debris was falling from the roof structure so it got quite difficult to tackle. The best option was to tackle it from the outside.

“There was an exposure risk to the residential properties so we either had to tell people to close their windows or evacuate them completely.”

An appliance from Dewsbury was first on scene and firefighters battled the fire from the ground and managed to push the flames and smoke back before a specialist combined rescue pump from Huddersfield arrived and was able to tackle it from the air.

Firefighters used breathing apparatus, two large jets and a ground monitor to tackle the fire. It took them an hour to get the fire under control.

The whole of the building was caught up in the fire and it is feared it will have to be demolished.

Because of the size of the fire it was unsafe for gas and electrical engineers to disconnect power but they are expected to do so today.

Structural engineers are also due at the scene this morning to assess the damage to the building. There are fears that an outside wall might collapse into a nearby property and residents of that house have been told they are unable to return home until it is made secure.

Nobody was injured in the fire and the cause is under investigation.

Police had to close surrounding roads so the fire could be tackled safely.

Firefighters left the scene around midnight but are due to return back this morning. A fire scene investigator is also due on site.