VIDEO: Major fire destroys derelict building in Sheffield city centre

A major fire has destroyed a derelict building in Sheffield, and covered the city centre in clouds of thick black smoke.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Jul 2018, 19:47 BST
Updated 16th Jul 2018, 16:01 BST
Building fire on Copper Street in Shalesmoor.Building fire on Copper Street in Shalesmoor.
Building fire on Copper Street in Shalesmoor.

The blaze occurred at around 6pm on Saturday, on Copper Street in Shalesmoor, in what residents said was an abandoned building.

Three fire engines attended the scene, along with one 'cherry picker', and dozens of firefighters.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The apartments building next door wasn't evacuated, but many worried residents assembled on a nearby carpark so they could see what was going on.

Prashane Diwrai said he was just watching TV with his wife and his newborn baby when he 'suddenly saw smoke'.

He said: "We started to run downstairs and got out of the building through the metal carpark door.

"The flames were coming out of the window and from the roof so I phoned 999 and they said they were already on the way."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Building fire on Copper Street in Shalesmoor.Building fire on Copper Street in Shalesmoor.
Building fire on Copper Street in Shalesmoor.

John Burton said his balcony looked out over the building that had gone up in flames,

"I could just smell it - like someone had lit a candle. Then I saw the smoke.

"The building is derelict - the only thing that stops anyone getting in are these metal railings which people can just jump over.

"They didn't evacuate my building but I went in to get my laptop just in case."

Related topics:Sheffield