Firefighters tackle blaze in Stevenage Old Town

A fire has broken out at the back of Stevenage High Street. (Image: Archant)

The blaze has broken out in Middle Row in a shed next to Own Homes estate agents. The fire service were alerted to the fire and called police to the scene at about 8.40pm.

A police spokeswoman said: “Road closures are currently in place on Drapers Way and by Simmons bakery on Middle Row to allow the fire service to deal with the incident.

“We advise members of the public to avoid the area currently.”

UPDATE 22.43pm – Herts Fire and Rescue Service tweeted that crews from Stevenage and Baldock & Letchworth attended, and that the outbuilding was “well alight”.

A police cordon was put up after a fire started in Stevenage's Middle Row. Picture: Max Taylor (Image: Archant)

“Fire was swiftly extinguished by crews,” they said.

The @HertsFRSControl account also tweeted that hoax calls had been made during the fire.

Emergency services in Stevenage Old Town. Picture: Max Taylor (Image: Archant)

They said: “We received 16 calls to the #fire in Middle Row, Old Town, Stevenage – but during this time we also had three hoax calls – Hoax calls are illegal, divert emergency service resources from real emergencies & waste valuable time for us answering real emergency calls! #hoaxcallscostlives”

Police closed Stevenage High Street from Drapers Way while firefighters tackled the blaze. Picture: Max Taylor (Image: Archant)