Firefighters tackle latest blaze on one of city’s busiest roads

EMERGENCY services shut one of Cardiff’s busiest roads yesterday while they dealt with a fire.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called to City Road at 8.26am after reports of a fire at a single-storey commercial building.

South Wales Police closed the busy thoroughfare while fire crews from Cardiff Central, Roath and Whitchurch battled the blaze.

Queuing traffic was reported on either side of the road closure between Newport Road and Northcote Street.

A fire service spokesman confirmed the fire was extinguished about an hour later at 9.33am. The road was reopened at about 10.25am.

The fire affected a single-storey commercial building. It also resulted in damage to the back of an adjoining property.

The cause of the fire remained unknown last night and fire teams were investigating.

It is the second fire that has taken place on City Road this month.

In the early hours of June 13, about 50 firefighters were sent to an incident at the La Shish restaurant. A block of student flats was evacuated as a precaution and 11 fire engines from Cardiff, Caerphilly and Tonypandy were immediately sent to the scene.

In 2016, two other fires caused extensive damage to properties on the road.

The former City Furnishings shop was completely gutted by a fire in April, and the Moonlight shisha bar suffered damage in a fire in February.

A fabric shop next door had to reopen in new premises further along the street as a result of the fire.