'Please avoid the area' - firefighters battle another blaze at old ski village

Multiple calls were made to emergency services after smoke was seen billowing out of the Vale Road site. this afternoon.

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Firefighters first received reports at about 5.45pm today (April 23) and arrived to discover about 10m x 10m of ski matting on fire.

Two fire engines are currently at the scene.

A South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: “We're currently getting lots of 999 calls about a fire in Sheffield.

“This is an incident at the site of the former Sheffield ski village and firefighters are now in attendance.

“Please avoid the area whilst our crews carry out their work.”

It’s not the first time the site has been engulfed in flames.

The Parkwood Springs Ski Village was destroyed by fire in 2012 and since then has been subject to repeated vandalism.

The artificial ski slope, which opened in 1988, was once a popular feature that attracted visitors from across the north but has been dogged by arson attacks after it closed and plans to revitalise it never came to fruition.

Sheffield City Council has been trying to transform the site into a popular attraction for years, and while no concrete plans have yet emerged, work is said to be going on in the background.

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