A BT Openreach cabinet on Birch Road in Ellesmere was destroyed by fire on Friday night, 29 August, leaving properties connected to the cabinet without internet connectivity.

The fire involving the BT Openreach cabinet on Birch Road was well alight when firefighters arrived. Photo: Shropshire Fire and Rescue ServiceThe fire involving the BT Openreach cabinet on Birch Road was well alight when firefighters arrived. Photo: Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 8.30 pm, following reports of a fire involving the telecommunications cabinet.

One fire appliance from Ellesmere was mobilised to tackle the blaze.

Firefighters used hosereel jets to extinguish the fire and a thermal imaging camera to ensure the area was safe.

The cabinet was completely destroyed in the incident.

The fire has resulted in a loss of internet service for properties in the surrounding area, with residents reporting outages shortly after the incident occurred.

BT has been notified and is aware of the situation. It is currently unclear how long it will take for services to be restored.

The BT Openreach cabinet was destroed by fire. Photo: Shropshire Fire and Rescue ServiceThe BT Openreach cabinet was destroed by fire. Photo: Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service