St Mary's Stadium fire: Firefighters to work overnight to contain inferno near Southampton FC home

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) were initially alerted at 1.05pm. Incident Commander John Amos said the public should avoid the area due to a "large smoke plume" emanating from industrial units in Marine Parade.

He said: "We’ve got more than 100 personnel onsite working extremely hard to tackle a well-developed fire near to St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton. We have been working closely with our partner agencies and Southampton Football Club throughout this incident, with tonight’s scheduled match postponed.

"We expect to have a presence on the scene overnight and into tomorrow. We ask that the public avoid the area due to a number of road closures in place, and that local residents keep windows and doors closed because of the large smoke plume.”

A total of eighteen fire engines have been deployed to the blaze, alongside aerial ladder platforms. HIWFRS said its presence will scale down gradually as the fire is full extinguished and the smoke plume dissipates. Residents have been warned to keep their doors and windows shut. Four industrial units close to the ground have been engulfed in the flames.

Southampton FC's Championship match tonight against Preston North End has been postponed. The club said in a statement: "Southampton Football Club regrets to announce that tonight’s Sky Bet Championship match against Preston North End has been postponed. The decision was made after consultation with the local authorities and emergency services after a major fire broke out in a building next to the St Mary’s Stadium site earlier today.

“The incident has caused significant disruption in the area with road closures around the stadium still in place as fire crews continue to deal with the situation. We are grateful for the cooperation of Preston and the EFL, and while we appreciate the disappointment fans may feel, we hope they will understand the need to put the safety of supporters and staff of both clubs first. The game will be postponed to a new date, which will be announced in due course, and all tickets for tonight’s match will be valid for the rearranged fixture.”

An EFL spokesperson added: “The EFL can confirm that tonight’s Sky Bet Championship fixture between Southampton and Preston North End has been postponed as a result of health and safety concerns following a fire nearby St Mary’s Stadium. The League will liaise with both clubs to determine a suitable date to reschedule the fixture, with details to be confirmed in due course.”