A leisure centre in Maldon was evacuated after its roof caught fire during construction work.

Firefighters from Maldon were called to the Blackwater Leisure Centre in Park Drive at 2pm yesterday to deal with a blaze in one of the roofing sections. No-one was hurt.

The centre is currently having a £2.4 m extension built and constructors were completing work on part of the roof over the new buildings.

Maldon station officer Martin Cable said the fire had started as blowtorches were being used to join sections of panelling together.

Centre manager, Tracey Munford, said smoke started to pour into the main building and staff took the decision to evacuate it as a precautionary measure.

Damage to the roof was quite limited but there was also some minor damage to the changing area where smoke had got in.

Mrs Munford said staff were able to go back into the centre to recover customers' clothes and possessions but the centre was closed for the remainder of the day to let smoke clear from the buildings.

She said staff had cleaned up any mess and it was fully open today.

Published Thursday, March 14, 2002