Firefighters tackle blaze in two-storey building

Holly Phillips
BBC News, Yorkshire
Dave Edwards/ BBC A large plume of smoke rises above a street in a city centre. Orange flames can be seen at the base of the smoke.Dave Edwards/ BBC
Fire crews were called to Shannon Street early on Friday morning

Fire crews have tackled a major blaze at a building in central Leeds.

Emergency services were called to a two-storey commercial building in Shannon Street at about 04:25 BST.

The A64 York Road westbound exit slip road was blocked by emergency vehicles as efforts to deal with the fire continued.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service advised motorists to avoid the area if possible as work continued at the scene.

Malik Walton/BBC A drone shot of a smoke billowing out of a two-storey building. There are fire engines surrounding the building and parked on the slip road next to the building. Cars are driving on the road to the left of the building. Malik Walton/BBC
The A64 slip road was blocked by emergency vehicles

At its height, nine fire engines and two aerial appliances were at the scene and the fire had spread across both floors of the building, the spokesperson added.

West Yorkshire Police, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Northern Power and Northern Gas Networks were also involved.

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