Huge emergency response in Slough after block of flats catches fire

A large blaze at a block of flats in Slough yesterday afternoon saw a major incident response from fire services - who were there well into the night.

At 3:12pm on Thursday, October 9, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) received reports of a fire in a low-rise block of flats on Greystoke Road.

Crews from Slough, Langley, Maidenhead and Windsor fire stations were sent to the scene alongside five fire officers. Officers are usually dispatched for more serious or complex incidents – and in most cases, just the one.

Crews also used an Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) from Whitley Wood Fire Station, which is used to dispense water from above, if the fire is especially large or hard to access.

It can also be used to rescue people from taller buildings when other escape routes are blocked.

Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus used three hose reels, two main jets and the ALP to extinguish the fire.

Two people were taken into the care of South Central Ambulance Service at the scene. 

The fire was large and severe enough that extra support from other fire services was needed; crews from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue London Fire Brigade also raced to the scene.

Firefighters were still there late into the night - RBFRS reported this morning (10.08am) that they were on the scene for about six hours and 20 minutes.

A crew from Slough Fire Station returned this morning (October 10) to inspect for any hotspots - a small area where a fire is still burning, smouldering, or has the potential to reignite.

An investigation to determine the cause is now underway.

Details are yet to be officially released on the extent of the damage.