Ipswich: Spa complex engulfed by huge blaze which started near swimming pool
An investigation has been launched after a huge blaze engulfed a spa in Ipswich in the early hours of Friday morning.
A total of 17 fire engines were called to tackle a fire at the Riverhills Health Club & Spa in Bramford at around 12.20am.
Dramatic pictures show flames ripping through the building and destroying the roof as plumes of smoke poured into the sky.
Two firefighters were pictured standing close to a hot tub as they battled to extinguish the blaze.
A number of nearby roads were closed as motorists were warned to avoid the area.
The roads have now reopened but crews remain on the scene, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said.
Providing an update, incident commander, group manager Sally Hammond said: “We were called to a serious fire at Riverhills Spa at about 12.20am last night.
“Crews were here very quickly and established that there was a very serious fire that had occurred in the swimming pool area of the building.
“The crews worked really hard and really quickly in order to save the main part of the building, which we did.
“In the morning there will be a full and thorough investigation as to the cause of this fire.”
Police and ambulance services were also dispatched to the scene.
Firefighters were called to the scene in the early hours of Friday morning Pic: Twitter / Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service
The spa has posted an announcement on Facebook that it will be closed on Friday.
It said: “You may have already seen on local news that very sadly there has been a large fire at the club overnight.
“As a result Riverhills will be closed today (Friday 23 June) to all members and guests while we gain access to the building and assess the damage.
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“We will of course update you once we have further information but please understand that we currently have no phone systems or internet access on site.
“We are extremely grateful to the work of Suffolk Fire and Rescue and the other emergency teams that responded to this incident and brought the fire under control.”
The spa also thanked customers for their understanding and said it would provide a further update as soon as possible.
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A woman who was stabbed to death in north London has been named by police – as a man was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Pamela Munro, 45, was found with a stab wound and died at the scene in Ayley Croft, Enfield, on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday and is in custody, the force added.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Investigating officers have worked relentlessly across the weekend to investigate the circumstances around Pamela’s death.
“We continue to support her family who are understandably devastated.”
Police at the scene at Ayley Croft in Enfield
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The Met Police has asked anyone with information or who was driving through Ayley Court between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and may have dashcam footage to contact the force.
A “British man” has died after being beaten and set on fire by a mob in Ecuador, according to reports by media in the South American country.
According to reports, the man – who has not been officially identified – had been detained by police after being accused of being involved in a fatal shooting.
Ecuadorian news outlet Ecuavisa reported that the man had been taken to a police station Playas del Cuyabeno, a remote village in the Amazon rainforest.
While there, a group broke into the station and took the man away. He was then set on fire in the street, it is reported, and died from his burns.
The incident reportedly happened in the Playas del Cuyabeno area of Sucumbios province
Another local report, from EXTRA.ec, said that specialist police units had been slow to arrive due to the geographical conditions of the area – which is accessible by river.
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According to reports, police officers at the station apparently decided they could not intervene when the mob arrived out of concerns for their own safety.
It is understood the UK Foreign Office is following up reports about the incident and working with local authorities to confirm the details.
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