A potentially devastating fire next to Apollo Bingo in Rhyl was brought under control by firefighters on Friday evening, preventing the blaze from spreading into one of the town’s best-known entertainment landmarks.
Emergency services were called to High Street and Brighton Road after a fire broke out inside a row of vacant retail units beside the entrance to the Apollo Bingo club’s complex.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that several fire appliances attended the incident and urged members of the public to avoid the area while crews dealt with the emergency.
Firefighters battle blaze at vacant premises
Witnesses reported seeing thick smoke rising from the empty building as firefighters worked to gain access to the shuttered premises. Crews also used an aerial ladder to tackle the fire from above before clearing damaged debris from the affected units once the flames had been contained.
Police closed surrounding streets to allow emergency services to work safely, while local residents gathered nearby to watch the incident unfold.
The swift response from firefighters is believed to have prevented the fire from spreading into the neighbouring Apollo Bingo building.
Historic Apollo building avoids serious damage
The Apollo Bingo complex, one of Rhyl’s most recognisable Art Deco buildings, escaped the incident without suffering major damage.
The venue first opened as the Odeon Cinema in October 1937, welcoming more than 1,400 patrons. It became Wales’ first three-screen cinema in 1972, then introduced bingo and eventually became a dedicated bingo club in 1995.
Following a major refurbishment that preserved many of its original Art Deco features, the building was acquired by the Real Fun Group in 2023 and continues to operate as one of North Wales’ most popular bingo venues.
Investigation into cause expected
At the time of writing, no injuries had been reported.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service asked people to stay away from the area while firefighters brought the incident under control, and an investigation into the cause of the blaze is expected to take place once the scene has been made safe.
While the neighbouring empty building suffered fire damage, the quick actions of emergency crews ensured Apollo Bingo was able to avoid what could have been a far more serious incident.
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