PICTURE UPDATE: Firefighters tackle big Newbridge shop blaze 'involving fireworks'

A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said the fire was accidental.

The road is open today.

UPDATE: 6.46pm

ISLWYN AM Gwyn Price has thanked the fire fighters and emergency services personnel who attended the fire in Newbridge town centre this afternoon.

Mr Price said  “I am relieved that there have been no casualties due to the fast, efficient response of our emergency services.

“I am extremely grateful to the brave firefighters who attended the scene, and to the police officers, paramedics, council officers and many others who worked diligently to keep local residents safe in very difficult conditions.

I will continue to monitor events closely in coming days and am liaising with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

“My thoughts are with all those effected by the fire.”

UPDATE: 4.06pm

One eyewitness was the joint pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, Reverend Peter Cho.

He told the Argus: “I was waiting for someone to meet at 12.30pm and it was about 12.25pm and my wife went out from the church. I couldn’t see because all the smoke from the St David’s charity shop.

“It was very, very serious smoke and I think within five minutes the fire brigade came and it got worse and worse and worse.”

After the fire started, he placed cones outside the shops to divert people away from the smoke. He said it was “just the normal thing” to do.

He added: “It was a bad day and it is sad but people really supported each other and helped each other.”

 UPDATE: 3.42pm

A spokesman for South Wales Fire and Rescue said the fire is under control now.

He added the St David’s shop has been affected as well as a coffee shop next door – but they are contained within the same building, so they are not being treated as separate incidents.

Western Power Distribution has isolated the power supply and a Caerphilly council officer is there checking the stability of the building.

The Risca crew has left and a water bowser from Pontypridd has also been released.

He added there was a “small box of fireworks” that seemed to be going off in a flat above the shop, but they did not start the fire, they were just involved in the fire insofar as they went off as the fire ripped through the building.

UPDATE: 3.18pm

Regular cafe user, Vivienne Morgan, 68, said it was sad to see the cafe today as it is a friendly meeting place which is popular with the community.

A staff member from Greggs, which is opposite the cafe, said they first became aware of the fire when a staff member from St Davids Foundation ran into the road crying at about 12.30pm. They went outside to comfort her and could then see the flames in the shop. She said: "it went up rather quickly and at first we did not realise how big it was going to get." The police evacuated the Greggs staff at 12.50pm.

UPDATE: 3.05pm

Yvette Jenkins who has owned Sweet Sensation for four years, is waiting to hear if damage has been caused to her shop which is next door to the cafe. She said when she was evacuated there was smoke blowing through into her shop.

UPDATE: 2.54pm

Ben Warwick took this shot of firecrews tackling the blaze on High Street in Newbridge.

UPDATE: 2.44pm

A spokeswoman for the Welsh Ambulance Trust said their ambulance and the Trust’s hazardous area response team are still at the scene

UPDATE: 2.23pm

Malcolm Llewellyn sent this shot of smoke engulfing High Street in Newbridge

Philip-James-Watkins took this shot of the plume of smoke coming from the blaze on High Street in Newbridge.

UPDATE: 2.23pm

Gwent Police confirmed the street is currently closed while emergency services are in attendance

UPDATE: 2.17pm

Royston Lewis, 48, of Newbridge, who has owned The Station Coffee Shop for 8 years, said he knows his shop is a write off but the main thing is that no one was hurt.

His staff noticed smoke coming in from the ceiling and set about evacuating the cafe that had over 20 lunch time diners inside.

UPDATE: 1.52pm

A spokesman for South Wales Fire and Rescue said all people "were accounted for" at the scene.

UPDATE: 1.44pm

The police helicopter is now hovering overhead to asses how the fire is spreading.

UPDATE: 1.37pm

Crews from Aberbargoed, Risca, New Inn, Abertillery, Caerphilly and Maindee are at the scene and 36 firefighters are involved.

Five shops have been evacuated due to heavy smoke from the fire.

UPDATE: 1.30pm

Chris Buck, from Abercarn, was in the Newbridge Memo further down High Street when its fire alarms were set off by the smoke. He said: “It seems to have started in a St David’s shop and moved into the Station Cafe next door.

“I stink of smoke - and it seems to have engulfed most of Newbridge.”

UPDATE: 1.30pm

A Newbridge trader who is based further up High Street said: “There’s two police vans outside. It’s chaotic. There is a lot of smoke.

A spokeswoman for South Wales Fire and Rescue said they believe the blaze is "firework related".

UPDATE: 1.26pm

The blaze is reported to have started in a charity shop and spread to the nearby Station Cafe, according to cafe-owner Royston Lewis. the fire is also said to be threatening a nearby church.

UPDATE: 12.47pm

FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a fire at a shop in Newbridge this afternoon.

Five shops around Main Street have been evacuated because of heavy smoke and the area is being ventilated.

Four engines from Aberbargoed, Risca and New Inn and a hydraulic platform were called at 12.25pm and another two have since been called to deal with the fire.