Glenn Jenkins said his heart sank after he was told about the Luton fire at Futures House in Luton on Wednesday evening. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service reached the building at The Moakes at about 16:55 BST after the fire had taken hold.
At the peak of the incident, eight fire engines and about 32 firefighters were at the scene. Marsh Farm Futures said the building had been safely evacuated, but Futures House and all of its businesses stayed closed until further notice.
Futures House at The Moakes
Firefighters scaled the roof of the community building to tackle the blaze, and a witness described black smoke coming from the roof. Jenkins, one of the co-founders of Futures House, told the he could see “firemen everywhere” when he learned the building was on fire.
Futures House provides business space and a range of social, youth, and support services, so the closure affects more than one tenant. Marsh Farm Futures manages the building, and the shutdown leaves those services paused while crews deal with the damage and the source of the fire.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
Crews found a fire in the building's extraction unit, which is the point now under investigation. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it would reinspect the building overnight before an investigation into the cause of the fire takes place.
For people using Futures House, the immediate position is simple: the building is closed, its businesses are shut, and access will stay suspended until the fire service finishes its work and the site can be assessed again.
