Town centre fire started at demolition site

A fire in Northampton town centre started on a site where former BHS and M&S stores are being demolished.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to Union Street near an entrance to the Grosvenor Centre at about 17:45 BST on Thursday.

Roads in the area were closed during the evening but the shopping centre reopened at 10:00 BST on Friday, an hour later than normal.

A spokesperson for the Grosvenor Centre said the fire "occurred near our Abington Street entrance, which originated from a neighbouring demolition site rather than on our property".

The fire service said four Northamptonshire crews and two from Buckinghamshire were at the scene at the height of the blaze.

The shopping centre spokesperson said it "produced a significant amount of smoke, which activated our smoke detection systems".

As a precaution, the centre was evacuated shortly before it was due to close on Thursday.

"We would like to thank the emergency services for their swift response, as well as our retailers and customers for their patience and co-operation," they said.

Do you have a story suggestion for Northamptonshire? Contact us below.

Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.