A HAMPSHIRE city centre was brought to a standstill as fire broke out in an office building undergoing refurbishment.

More than 50 firefighters from stations including Basingstoke, Eastleigh Southampton and Winchester were called to Three Minsters House in Winchester High Street following reports of a roof fire in the building.

They used existing scaffolding and a material lift to transport themselves and equipment to the underfloor of the 19th century building, where the fire is believed to have started.

Fire crews arrived at 1pm yesterday were at the scene for more than five hours.

A Winchester fireman on the scene described their difficulty in getting to the blaze due to it having spread into a void between cladding and brickwork with wood screwed on top.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Fire And Rescue said “Six pumps were deployed on the scene including two jets, and an ultra high pressure lance capable of cutting through concrete. Firefighters managed to tackle the blaze quite quickly despite difficult access.”

One worker who didn’t want to be named said: “We were welding lead on the roof before the fire. I saw some flames and we were quickly evacuated.”

Police closed the road between Southgate Street and Romsey Road, with shops on the stretch of Winchester’s High street evacuated and people were told to avoid the area as the road was packed with emergency vehicles.

David Gallagher, a spokesperson from South Central Ambulance said: “Ambulance crews were on standby to provide treatment to the firefighters if required but there were no one needed to be treated at the scene.”

During the incident staff from nearby Winchester Law Courts provided the firefighters with tea while they fought the blaze.

A spokesperson for Morgan Sindall who are overseeing the renovation of Three Ministers House said: “We would like to thank the fire service for their rapid and expert response to the roof fire at Three Minsters House. We are currently focused on doing what we can to assist the emergency services.”

The building is owned by Hampshire County Council.