A FIRE in Winton High Street earlier this week is believed to have been caused by a discarded cigarette.

Multiple fire crews attended the blaze at the rear of a high street shop in Wimborne Road on Wednesday afternoon, July 13.

Seven crews from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue tackled the blaze, which spread to several sheds and a terraced property shortly after 2pm.

Read more: Woman rescued from first floor flat as fire spreads through sheds on Winton High Street

Giving an update on Friday, July 15, the fire service said the fire had started accidentally and was believed to have been caused by a discarded cigarette in the area to the rear of the property.

During the incident, police closed off a large area of the high street to traffic.

Shops were evacuated and a woman had to be rescued from a first floor flat.

No serious injuries were reported.

Speaking at the scene, station manager Allan Frias-Robles said: “A fire was discovered to the rear of the main shops in Wimborne Road. It had spread to several sheds.

“The fire spread through many of the shops which is why they had to be evacuated. It also caused smoke logging in the flats above the shops which required the rescue of a person via a ladder by the fire service."