Cause of 'serious' Hilsea flat fire in Portsmouth remains unknown as emergency services praised for response

The blaze broke out in a three-storey apartment building at the corner of London Road and Beechwood Road, Hilsea, yesterday.

Firefighters, police and paramedics were called to the scene at 3.45pm on Saturday.

Dozens of people were evacuated from the building.

No-one was reported to have been injured in the blaze.

However one family’s two-storey apartment was gutted by the fire and smoke.

SEE ALSO: Hilsea fire guts family's two-storey flat and apartment block is evacuated

The cause of the fire remaining unknown at present, according to crew manager Dave Burt.

He explained: ‘Everyone is out, everyone is safe.

‘We’re not sure how it’s been started. It looks like it’s an accident.’

The emergency service response to the blaze has been praised by Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt.

She tweeted: ‘My thanks to emergency and community responders who have dealt with a serious fire at a block of flats on London Road this evening.’

Police attended the scene to aid with traffic management and road closures were put in place on London Road.

It was shut in both directions near the Coach and Horses pub for a time, but the road has now fully reopened.