A WOMAN's body has been found following a fire at a block of flats in Southampton.
A fire ripped through flats in Bullar Road causing thick black smoke to billow into the air.
The route was closed off while emergency services evacuated the five apartments and made the area safe.
However, police have now confirmed that the body of a woman was found at the property following the incident on December 3.
And, that officers have been working to find her next kin.
The blaze which started last Friday morning left one person hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries.
Motorists were urged to avoid the Bitterne area after a police roadblock was put in place.
Margaret Beever, a Bullar Road resident, described how she had gone out to post letters and on her walk home noticed smoke billowing into the air.
The 83-year-old said: “It was quite bad. I think there were about seven fire engines. They were treating people for smoke inhalation. There was a huge amount of smoke. Really thick smoke. Let’s hope everyone got out okay."
Firefighter crews from both Redbridge and St Mary’s Fire Stations were part of the operation which lasted most of the day.
A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: " work to identify next of kin and complete the formal identification process is ongoing.
"We can confirm that the body of a woman was found after the fire at an address in Bullar Road, her death is not being treated as suspicious."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article