A large blaze at a derelict mosque in Sheffield has been extinguished, and firefighters are returning to the scene this morning (08.00).

At the height of last night’s blaze on Vincent Road in Sharrow, over 40 firefighters were involved in the incident.

Around 20 homes were evacuated as a precaution (approx 50 residents) but those affected have now been able to return. Vincent Road and some surrounding roads are still closed to traffic.

Crews were quickly on the scene after receiving a call at around 18.30, and arrived to find the building well alight.

Two ALPs (Aerial Ladder Platform) were used to tackle the fire, and firefighters began damping down at around 02:30

Incident Commander Darren Staniland said: “It was necessary to evacuate the surrounding buildings to ensure the safety of the residents, and I would like to thank the residents for their co-operation. The firefighters were faced with a number of problems, including a strong wind which was blowing the blaze towards homes, and our crews did a tremendous job to prevent the fire spreading to the houses.”

A structural engineer will also visit the scene this morning to assess the safety of the building, and an investigation will be carried out into the cause of the fire.

Crews from Central, Darnall, Mansfield Road, Edlington, Lowedges, Mosborough, Rotherham, Elm Lane, Rivelin, Barnsley and Tankersley were involved in the incident.

-Ends-

For more information please contact Corporate Communications on 0114 253 2415