Home » Fire Erupts at Swansea’s flagship £38m city centre development

Fire Erupts at Swansea’s flagship £38m city centre development

A blaze broke out at the 71/72 Kingsway building, a major office project already beset by delays.

Emergency services rushed to the scene of a fire at Swansea’s new high-tech office development in the early hours of Friday, January 31.

The blaze occurred at the 71/72 Kingsway site, a flagship council-led project on the former site of the Oceana nightclub.

South Wales Police and the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they were called to the incident in Swansea city centre, prompting road closures and disruption. The affected stretch of Kingsway, between The Dragon Hotel and the St Helen’s Road roundabout, was temporarily shut, with motorists advised to seek alternative routes.

Project aims and delays
Once completed, the 71/72 Kingsway development is set to accommodate 600 workers and contribute an estimated £32.6 million annually to Swansea’s economy. The site has been hailed as a potential “landmark office building” for Wales, designed to provide a cutting-edge workspace unlike any other in the region.

However, the project has faced multiple setbacks. Originally scheduled for completion in March 2024, delays have plagued progress. Swansea Council has invested £24.6 million into the development, supplemented by a £13.7 million contribution from central government via the Swansea Bay City Deal.

Emergency response and road closures

Fire crews from multiple stations, including Swansea West, Morriston, Port Talbot, Swansea Central, Llanelli, and Carmarthen, attended the scene to tackle the blaze.

A statement from the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service read: “Crews are responding to a property fire along Kingsway in Swansea City Centre. The road is currently closed between The Dragon Hotel and St Helen’s Road roundabout and is expected to remain shut for some time. Members of the public are advised to avoid the area and find alternative routes.”

By 9:45 am, the fire was confirmed to be extinguished. An hour later, Kingsway was reopened to traffic, though congestion persisted until around 11:00 am, when conditions began to ease.

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