Repairs underway after fire wrecks gym roof in Old Town

Repairs are well underway after a fire wrecked the roof of a gym in Old Town.

Smoke billowed from a hole in the top of Anytime Fitness' Hoopers Place building on May 9 as 50 firefighters fought to contain and put out the flames.

At around 7.16pm, 10 fire engines from central Swindon, Westlea, Stratton, Royal Wootton Bassett, Marlborough, Chippenham, and Devizes responded to 999 calls from the scene.

The fire was extinguished by 9.05pm and the incident was then scaled down to involve four fire engines and 20 firefighters, who left the scene by 12.27am on May 10.

The footpath and entrances to the fitness facility were temporarily cordoned off for safety reasons as blue and grey sheets covered sections where roof tiles broke during the blaze, and more damage could be seen from behind the building, where the scorched framework of the loft is exposed and bits of debris littered the ground.

On Monday, July 1, Bushton Ferris Ltd vans were parked behind the gym and repairmen were fixing the damage caused and replacing broken roof tiles.

Part of the gym's exterior was covered in scaffolding and fencing that made one entrance inaccessible, but the main entrance was clear of obstructions and open as usual.