Smoke and water damage inflicted to building near Buckland Adventure Playground, Portsmouth - reopening date

Portsmouth firefighters rushed to Buckland Adventure Playground in Malins Road yesterday afternoon (June 26) to extinguish the blaze. A Portsmouth City Council (PCC) spokesperson said: “The fire was in a storage cupboard next to the office on site and whilst it did not spread to the playground, there has been smoke and water damage to other areas of the building.

“Our fire alarm system alerted us immediately to the fire and staff on site followed safety procedures in place. The playground will remain closed while we assess any damage and determine when we can reopen.”

A sign posted outside the playground hinted at a potential reopening date next week. It read: “Buckland Adventure Playground will hopefully be reopening by Tuesday, July 2. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Firefighters were called to the blaze at 2pm, and left the scene at 5.30pm. A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) spokeswoman previously said: “The fire was extinguished using one hose reel, jet, and ventilation fans to clear the smoke from the premises.”