Littlehampton Harvester fire: Inferno guts popular restaurant

Littlehampton Harvester fire: Inferno guts popular restaurant as video shows firefighters battling smoke and flames

• The fire broke out just after 8am this morning and is still ongoing  
• Are you at the scene or know what happened? [email protected] 

Shocking footage has shown a Harvester Pub on fire in the seaside report of Littlehampton, West Sussex.

Videos show the huge blaze tearing through the property, with large clouds of black smoke billowing out as fire fighters try and control it.

A huge operation to put out the fire is underway, with 12 fire crews in attendance, along with two aerial ladder performers and two water carriers.

The fire is said to have broken out in the kitchen before ascending to the roof, which is now believed to have collapsed. 

Black smoke can be seen for miles, including from the nearby seafront.  

People are being urged to avoid the area as the fire service continues to tackle the inferno. 

The fire at the Harvester Pub in Littlehampton, West Sussex, started at around 8am from the kitchen

There are 12 fire crews in total attending the horrific scene at the popular pub along with two aerial ladder performers and two water carriers

The fire is said to have broken out in the kitchen before ascending to the roof, which is now believed to have collapsed

Local Hannah Laker, 37, arrived to the pub with her toddler just after the fire broke out, where she was told it was ‘just a small fire’.

She told MailOnline: ‘I live down here. I came to take my son to Harbour Park amusement park but we arrived over an hour before it opened. 

‘I walked around the building you couldn’t see flames anywhere just a small amount of smoke. 

‘The family were confident it would be put out quickly and the fire brigade didn’t seem overly worried. Then it just went up so quickly. It was terrifying. I left my car so close because it didn’t even seem dangerous.’ 

READ HERE: I had a meal at Harvester to see what’s changed in 40 years… the salad bar is STILL the epicentre of the action

Harbour Park amusement park, which is a short distance from the pub, announced it had to close for now.

A statement on its Facebook page said: ‘At present the park cannot open. Any ticket for today will be honoured on another day. We are unable to answer our phones due to not being allowed into the building.’

She added: ‘My toddler is very scared but I am just so grateful that the family were okay, they were a bit shaken, even at the start.’

William Parker, who was sat near the pub at the time, told BBC Radio Sussex: ‘We have been sitting watching it with families who have come down to the beach.

‘We thought we could see rain clouds but it was thick black smoke. There are about five fire engines and a couple of cars.

‘We have heard some explosions and we have seen the roof collapse from here.

‘It seems to be getting a bit better now, the explosions have stopped. I could heard really loud bangs which echoed around the area.’

Smoke can be seen at the seaside town from miles away, with people being urged to avoid the area

Aerial footage shows the affect that the blaze has already had on the interior of the pub

Littlehampton Councillor Billy Blanchard-Cooper said: Please stay clear and let emergency services deal with this. I hope no one is hurt and will update as I hear anything.’

Another man who held his wedding reception at the pub just a month ago wrote: ‘So sad to see was only there just over a month ago having wedding reception Harvester Littlehampton.’

One person wrote on Twitter: ‘Very sad to see the Harvester, Littlehampton on fire right now. Hope all is okay.’ Another added: ‘These photos are devastating to see’.

While Harvesters do service breakfast no one has been harmed in the fire. 

A spokesperson for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service told MailOnline: ‘At 8.51am we were called to a fire at a restaurant in Coastguard Road, Littlehampton. 

‘Upon arrival firefighters were met with a fire in the kitchen, which has since spread to the roof.

‘We currently have 12 fire engines, two aerial ladder platform at the scene and two water carriers working hard to bring the fire under control.

‘Due to the large smoke plume, we would ask all residents to avoid the area, including the seafront, and to keep their doors and windows closed. 

‘All roads surrounding Coastguard Road have been closed. There are no injuries and everyone has been accounted for.’

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