Westcliff Palace Theatre, Nearby Properties Evacuated After Flat Fire Injures Two

A fire broke out in the roof space of a flat next to the historic Palace Theatre on London Road in Westcliff-on-Sea, leading to the evacuation of the theatre and nearby properties. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze using an aerial ladder platform to remove roof tiles and extinguish hotspots, and the fire was successfully surrounded. Two people suffered burn injuries and were treated by the East of England Ambulance Service, with one taken to Southend Hospital for further care. Despite the disruption, the Palace Theatre confirmed that it was not affected by the fire and performances will continue as scheduled. An investigation into the cause of the fire will be conducted once it is safe. Emergency services praised the cooperation of theatre staff and residents during the incident, while the road near the scene remained closed temporarily for safety reasons.