Huge plumes of smoke spotted as fire rages at old gym in Gosport
A fire is raging at the site of an old gym in Gosport with a huge plume of smoke spotted for miles around.
A fire has broken out at the site of the old 'Don Styler's Physical Training Centre' in Monks Walk, near Heritage Way with much of the surrounding woodland also on fire.
Emergency services have been called to the scene - with reports of local youths being seen running away from the scene of the fire believed to be in an old barn.
Hampshire Police have confirmed that this was reported at 6.18pm and emergency services are advising all nearby residents to keep their doors and windows shut while the fire is ongoing.
A statement from Hampshire Fire and Rescue added: “Firefighters from Gosport, Cosham and Portchester were called to a derelict building fire on Monks Walk shortly after 6pm.
“The one storey building was fully involved in the blaze when crews first arrived on scene.
“Wearing breathing apparatus and using hose reel jets, firefighters were able to stop the fire before damping down the scene.
“The building, which was destroyed, will be re-inspected later this evening to check for remaining signs of fire.”
Firefighters left the scene just after 9pm.
The lease was held by the same family from 1962 until early 2024. The contract ended and lease forfeited in February last year after guns and drugs had been found at the gym the previous year, an officer’s report for a Gosport Borough Council policy and organisation board meeting said.
The site, next to MoD land, has seen anti-social behaviour since becoming vacant and security will now be managed by the MoD which should reduce the opportunities for criminal behaviour, said the report.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.