FORTY firefighters have been battling to put out a serious flat fire in Lowestoft today which led to the closure of one of the main roads into the town.

FORTY firefighters have been battling to put out a serious flat fire in Lowestoft today which led to the closure of one of the main roads into the town.

Crews from Suffolk and Norfolk were called to London Road South, in Kirkley, after smoke was seen coming from a top floor flat in a row of three-storey houses.

No-one was in the flat and people and neighbours were safely accounted for, but firefighters faced a difficult battle as the flames started to spread to adjoining properties.

Neighbours, who watched the drama unfolding from the street below, told how smoke had started to seep into their homes before they escaped to safety.

Just after noon, fire chiefs made the decision to start stripping tiles from the roof of the building to check if flames had been fully extinguished.

Meanwhile, long traffic queues developed on surrounding roads after police closed off London Road South between Kirkley Park Road and Lorne Park Road.