POLICE say the cause of a major fire which caused rush-hour chaos across Southampton is "undetermined".

The blaze broke out above a betting shop in Shirley High Street and resulted in police closing the road, adding to the gridlock created by work on the nearby Milbrook roundabout.

More than 30 firefighters from across Hampshire tackled the blaze, which took seven hours to fully extinguish.


The Shirley area has seen a big increase in commuter traffic since work on the roundabout started several weeks ago.

A large number of motorists heading into Southampton are using the High Street to bypass the area or avoid the long tailbacks which build up on the M271 and the A33 Redbridge Road.

But part of the High Street was closed to traffic for almost four hours as firefighters fought the flames.

Cars, lorries and buses were diverted, which resulted in a large number of vehicles using narrow residential roads leading off the main road.

At one stage Southampton-bound truckers travelling west along the M27 were advised to stop at Rownhams Services and wait there until further notice.


The blaze broke out shortly after 5am yesterday, engulfing an empty flat above the Paddy Power betting shop and destroying the roof.

Firefighters from two Southampton stations - Redbridge and St Mary's - rushed to the scene and were joined by colleagues from Eastleigh, Romsey and Totton.

Southsea fire station supplied one of the aerial platforms which enabled crews to fight the flames from above. An ambulance was also sent to the scene but only as a precaution.

Traders arriving to open their stores found the area had been cordoned off.

They stood in the rain or sheltered in shop doorways further down the road as firefighters tackled the blaze and tried to prevent it spreading to neighbouring properties.

A block of eight flats is being built only a few yards from where the fire started.

Workmen said their site office was in the Paddy Power building until last week, when it moved to one of the flats under construction. However, paperwork which had yet to be transferred is thought to have been lost in the blaze.

The Golden Touch amusement arcade is next door to Paddy Power but appeared to have been untouched by the fire and opened as usual.

The manager said: "The firefighters did a brilliant job in stopping the blaze spreading to my place. The two buildings are literally door-to-door."

Several traders sought refuge from the rain by visiting the Shirley branch of Costa, which was just outside the exclusion zone.

One woman said: "I was driving to work when I saw smoke and noticed all the fire engines.

"The flames were quite high and four or five firefighters with hoses were blasting them with water. It was quite scary."

A colleague added: "One of the firemen didn't think there was anyone inside the building but said he couldn't be 100 per cent certain. At one point an ambulance came bombing down the road."

However, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) later confirmed that the flat above the betting shop was empty when the blaze broke out.

Road closures were lifted just before 9.15am, allowing the shops to open almost on time.

But firefighters stayed at the scene, checking for any hot spots and spraying neighbouring buildings with water, until well after the blaze was finally extinguished at 12.44pm.


Paddy Power, thought to be a former pub, is at the junction of High Street and Crown Street.

The front of the property was covered in scaffolding and locals said it was either being rebuilt or refurbished. The fire appears to have started on the first floor before spreading to the roof, which later collapsed.

The fire incident commander, group manager Glenn Bowyer, said: "When we arrived there was a lot of smoke and a lot of flame.

"The crews worked really hard and really fast to stop the fire spreading to neighbouring buildings."

Referring to the disruption caused by the road closure Mr Bowyer said he wanted to thank everyone in the area for their patience and understanding.

Police and firefighters have launched a joint investigation.

A police spokesman said the cause of the fire was "undetermined" and urged anyone with information to call officers on 101, quoting 44180436490.