Fire breaks out in freezer section of Marks & Spencer in Havant

Firefighters spent nearly three hours clearing smoke from a Marks & Spencer store in Havant last night after a fire in the freezer section.

Crews were called out to the M&S Foodhall in Selbourne Road just after 10pm after an automatic fire alarm was set off at the store.

The firefighters used breathing apparatus and hose reel jets to extinguish the fire and clear the smoke which had spread to the rest of the shop.

Havant fire station watch manager Tim Burgess said the fire started in the shop’s freezer section.

He said it was thought the fire was caused by an electrical fault, due to the recent warm weather which had meant the freezer system had been working harder than normal to keep food cold.

Crews from Southsea, Cosham, Emsworth, Portchester and Hayling Island fire stations were also called to assist with the fire.

The firefighters from Havant left the scene at about 1am.

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