Leicester: Large fire breaks out in industrial building

Firefighters have been tackling a blaze at an industrial unit in Leicester.

The fire started in a building in Great Central Street at about 04:00 BST on Thursday, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said.

People living nearby were urged to keep their windows and doors shut due to a large amount of smoke.

Police are also at the scene and advised people to avoid Bath Lane, Jarvis Street, Welles Street and All Saints Road.

Fire station manager Darren Weston told BBC Radio Leicester that the fire had broken out in a unit used as a cash and carry.

He said there were no reports of any injuries.

"We have quite a strong northerly wind today so the smoke is going in a southerly direction, away from the incident towards the west end of the city but it is dissipating very well," he added.

A fire service spokesperson said the cause of the blaze, which had since been extinguished, had yet to be established, but that crews remained at the scene to dampen down the damaged building.

They said crews were assessing the "integrity" of the building.

The Environment Agency said it was working with the fire service to prevent the risk of pollution of nearby watercourses.

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