Homes evacuated and major incident declared as fire breaks out at showroom

By OLIVIA CHRISTIE, NEWS REPORTER Published: 13:43, 15 August 2026 | Updated: 13:48, 15 August 2026 Homes have been evacuated and a major incident declared after a large fire erupted at a bathroom showroom. Ten fire crews and special vehicles raced to the scene, near the railway line on Selbourne Road in Luton, just after 6am today. Huge flames and large plumes of thick black smoke were seen billowing from the building in footage shared on social media.  Nearby residents have been ordered out of their homes and people have been advised to avoid the area around Selbourne Road.  A number of road closures are also in place.  People have been told they may experience low water pressure or no water as fire crews continue to battle the blaze.  A spokesperson for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: 'Crews have surrounded the fire and are using water jets to apply large amounts of water to tackle and contain it. Huge flames and large plumes of thick black smoke were seen billowing from the building in footage shared on social media 'Currently on scene we have 10 fire engines, three aerial platforms to tackle the fire from above, two water carriers and an incident command unit. 'Residents affected by smoke in the area are encouraged to keep their windows and doors closed.' They added: 'Firefighters have worked incredibly hard in challenging circumstances to extinguish the fire and it is anticipated the fire service will be on scene for the rest of the day. 'Resources from Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire have supported with this incident and we appreciate help from these neighbouring services during this time.' The blaze comes as fire services up and down the country have been stretched by wildfires breaking out during the latest heatwave. The Government has now imposed a temporary ban on disposable barbecues, which it says pose a 'a significant risk to the public' due to the heat. Thursday was the hottest day of the year so far, with some parts of the country experiencing temperatures of 38.1C. Meanwhile, yesterday an inferno broke out at a Holiday Inn believed to be housing asylum seekers in London.  Around 40 firefighters and six fire engines were called to the scene on Empire Way, near Wembley Stadium in the north-west of the capital, at 12.34pm. The hotel has been 'temporarily closed' to guests since August last year due to being used to house an unknown number of migrants.