AN Oxfordshire convenience store was left badly damaged after a fire broke out.

Firefighters from Abingdon, Didcot and Rewley Road stations rushed to the Co-op in Steventon yesterday after being alerted to a fire. 

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On arrival, smoke billowed out of the front doors of the shop which is below a set of flats.

Oxford Mail:

Residents of the flats above had already evacuated and were safe outside.

Firefighters, with breathing apparatus and high pressure hose reels, forced entry to the shop. They quickly located and dealt with a 'significant and developing' fire in the shop.

There was significant fire damage, but due to the swift action by crews, the damage was contained to the shop and did not spread to the flats above.

Oxford Mail:

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Incident Commander Neil Priestley said: “Thanks to the quick action by the security staff and a swift initial call to the fire service, coupled with a rapid intervention by the fire service, a much more significant incident was averted."

The cause of the fire is thought to be accidental.

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