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RAGING INFERNO
Huge plume of smoke fills sky & locals told ‘keep windows & doors CLOSED’ as blaze rips through Northampton town centre
Watch shocking footage of the inferno
A MASSIVE blaze this morning sent plumes of smoke and flickering flames into the air as locals were urged to stay inside and keep windows closed.
Dozens of roads were closed off in the centre of Northampton as fire crews battled the inferno at an old bar - which started around 5.30am.
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Shocking footage showed flames leaping from the derelict building sparking cops' call to put out an urgent warning.
Smoke could be seen for miles as the "large-scale fire" burned.
Locals shared snaps online of it pouring into the sky, while flames leapt into the air.
A cordon has been placed in the centre of town while emergency services work to extinguish the blaze.
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Deputy Cheif Fire Officer Simon Tuhill said they expected to be there for much of the day, and would only open roads when it was safe to do so.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the inferno had broken out in a derelict building which used to be the Fat Cats bar.
A blaze broke out in the building in 2012, leaving it a mere shell surrounded by scaffolding.
But developers revealed plans in 2022 to turn the former boozer into a block of flats.
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Crews battled the blaze for hours this morning, and were still dampening down hot spots at 10am.
The fire service said: "A 1,640ft cordon has been put in place around the building on Bridge Street.
"Several major routes in and around Northampton town centre have been closed this morning due to a large-scale fire in Bridge Street.
"The fire is in a derelict building.
"A 500-metre cordon has been put in place to allow fire crews to deal with the incident which has so far resulted in the closure of Bridge Street, Angel Street, Derngate and Victoria Promenade.
"Road users are asked to find alternative routes and to avoid this area until further notice. While residents and local businesses are advised to keep their doors and windows closed due a large plume of smoke.
"We are trying to reduce the cordon to allow access to the wider town centre but there is likely to be disruption for most of the day.
'Several routes closed'
"Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service have seven pumps on the scene dealing with the fire. We are liaising with West Northamptonshire Council and are sorry for the disruption."
Northamptonshire Police warned locals to take care, while fire crews battled the blaze.
The force said: "Several major routes in and around Northampton town centre have been closed this morning due to a large-scale fire in Bridge Street.
"We will provide further updates once we have more information."
The force added: "There is no access via St Peter's Way, Gold Street, Abington Street or The Drapery. We will update you once we have further information."
The fire comes just months after a blaze broke out in another Bridge St building.
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An inferno ripped through the former Balloon Bar in August last year.
The three-storey building was empty at the time of the blaze.
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