Firefighters across Portsmouth area rush to fire at tower block in Havant during early hours

Emergency personnel were deployed to Chichester House in Lockerley Road just after midnight this morning. Crews from Havant, Cosham, Emsworth, Waterlooville, Portchester and Southsea fire stations were all involved in extinguishing a ferocious bin-shed fire.

A spokesman from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) said: “Firefighters from Havant, Cosham, Emsworth, Waterlooville, Portchester and Southsea were called to the building on Lockerley Road following a ground-floor bin shed fire.

"Firefighters in breathing apparatus used hose reels and jets to extinguish the blaze before ventilating the building to clear the smoke.” Crews were given the stop message at 2am and left the scene.

The HIWFRS spokesman added that firefighters had to return to the tower block at 7am after a resident reported the smell of burning rubber. This was a false alarm, with the smell being caused by the earlier fire.