A fire caused disruption in Whitton yesterday evening as the High Street was partially closed by the attendance of five fire appliances.

The fire started at around 7.30pm in the rear access road and one eyewitness said that as he left Whitton Station he could see thick smoke coming from the roofs near Pizza Hut.

Shortly afterwards the first fire crew arrived from Chiswick followed by two from Heston, a fourth from Feltham together with a Command unit which was called in as initial reports seemed to suggest a major fire in the flats above the shops.

One firefighter explained that the fire was extinguished quickly and was caused by rubbish that had been set alight at the back of the shops.

The Spice of India restaurant filled with smoke and caused some diners to stand outside until it cleared, however there was no evacuation and most people chose to remain seated during the incident.