Southampton’s St Mary's stadium engulfed by thick black smoke as fire breaks out next door and match postponed
6 March 2024, 16:51
Southampton's match against Preston this evening has been postponed after a fire broke out next to St Mary's stadium.
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The stadium was covered in thick black cloud as flames blazed at a factory on an industrial estate next door.
It came just hours before the Championship clash and three hours before kick off Southampton announced the game had been called off on their official X - formerly Twitter - account.
The blaze broke out just after 1pm this afternoon affecting four industrial units in nearby Marine Parade.
Fire fills Southampton skyline with smoke
It is unclear what caused the fire and a number of emergency responders rushed to the scene.
Dramatic video captured the moment brave firefighters battled the flames with hoses as smoke rose into the air. The massive fireball soared above St Mary's and the surrounding area.
At one point a loud speaker was heard telling staff to evacuate the 32,000-capacity stadium immediately, while nearby residents were advised to shut all windows.
Saints are desperate to win after falling eight points off automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
But they will now have to await a rescheduled date for the game later in the season.
