Saffron Walden fire: Three homes left uninhabitable and businesses temporarily out of action as smoke damages town centre building

A fire which broke out in flats above a café bar in Saffron Walden has left three properties uninhabitable and businesses temporarily closed.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) received a flood of 999 calls at midday on Thursday (Nov 14) after smoke could be seen pouring from the upper floors of the former Barclay’s Bank building in Market Square, which now houses Zafferano Lounge with flats above.

Initial reports suggested several people may be missing from the flats. Crews from Saffron Walden, Newport and Stansted raced to the scene. Shoppers looked on and one witness described smoke as “billowing” out of the doors and windows.

A spokeswoman for ECFRS said: “On arrival, crews reported a fire in a building where smoke was affecting three flats. Crews extinguished a fire in an electrical cupboard.”

Two crews from the town’s station were first on the scene and praised café staff for quickly evacuating people from the building.

“Initial firefighting action was hampered by the fire, which involved an electrical installation,” said Saffron Walden Fire on its Facebook page.

“Six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the building and extinguished it in around 45 minutes. The building was badly affected by smoke and fire.

“UK Power Network teams arrived to make the area safe and to allow fire crews to continue their work in extinguishing the fire and making the building safe.

“Three residential flats were left uninhabitable as a result of smoke and heat damage and local businesses in the immediate area were left without power.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Zafferano’s website on Friday said it was “temporarily closed”.

Essex Police and ambulance crews also attended along with a hazardous area response team from the ambulance service.