Dozens of firefighters tackle building blaze

Dozens of firefighters were called to tackle a large fire at a three-storey building in Stoke-on-Trent.

Crews worked to stop the blaze spreading to surrounding premises at Stafford Street in Hanley which broke out shortly before 00:40 BST.

The fire affected the first and second floors of the building, as well as the loft space, with about 40 firefighters sent to the incident at its height.

A cordon remains in place, with road closures affecting Stafford Street, Foundry Street, Trinity Street, Browns Alley and Fountain Square, up to the junction with Quadrant Road.

Roof tiles were removed from the building to enable firefighters to tackle the blaze, Staffordshire Fire Service said.

The majority of the fire had been put out, it added, with about 20 firefighters remaining at the scene.

The nearby Leek Building Society remained closed but was expected to open on Friday, said director Elizabeth Hall.

There was minimal damage to the building, she added.

Disruption surrounding the scene is expected to continue into the afternoon, according to the fire service.

Six crews using two aerial ladders worked at the scene at the height of the fire.

Gas and structural engineers were also called, with Staffordshire Police assisting with traffic management.

The public has been advised to avoid the area.

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