UPDATED: The Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service are attending a property fire in a high rise block of flats on Sandown Esplanade this afternoon (Saturday).
Appliances from Ryde and Shanklin have been mobilised to Sandbanks, where smoke is issuing from a flat on the 4th floor of the 6-storey building.
The alarm was raised at around 14:25.
UPDATE @ 14:58 – Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus have entered the building and, armed with 2 hose reels, have successfully extinguished the fire.
Island Echo understands that a member of the public spotted the smoke and flagged down a passing Coastguard vehicle. 2 Coastguard officers from Bembridge in turn activated the building’s alarm and begun evacuating residents.
4 Police units have now arrived on scene.
UPDATE @ 15:25 – Fire crews are now standing down from the incident and residents are being allowed back into their properties.
A number of Police officers remain on scene and are speaking with the occupant of the property in question.
It is understood a third fire appliance from Newport was also mobilised to the incident but was stood down prior to arrival in Sandown. A fire in a multi-storey building would normally attract a large pre-determined attendance (PDA) to include an aerial appliance.
