A fire in a historic church in the city centre was triggered by an electric fault in the café’s fridge.
Three fire crews rushed to the University Church of St Mary the Virgin last night, after fire alarms started sounding at around 9pm.
Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service sent two crews from the Rewley Road fire station and one from Abingdon fire station.
The Catte Street passageway was temporarily taped off, and firefighters were seen frantically running between the churchyard and the High Street carrying hoses and wearing breathing apparatus.
Firefighters at scene of emergency at St Mary the Virgin Church. Fire alarms could be heard. Three fire engines on High St @SMVOxford pic.twitter.com/hpe6BOciuv
— Tom Seaward (@t_seaward) April 11, 2023
Firefighters used a hose reel jet and CO2 extinguisher to put out what the fire service described as a “fairly minor electrical fire” which involved the cafe’s fridge underneath the church.
An A-frame was set up in the churchyard, which faces onto Radcliffe Square, and firefighters were seen rushing in and out of a door near the foot of the university church’s 13th century tower.
A high powered fan was used to clear the smoke and crews left the scene at 9.30pm.
A St Mary's spokesman said they would be "working with the licensee of the cafe to ensure this sort of incident does not occur again."
He added: "There was a small electrical fire in an appliance in the cafe area of the building.
"We are grateful for the fire service’s quick response which ensured the fire was contained and there is no report of further damage.
"We take the safety of this historic building and all visitors to it very seriously."
The Vaults and Garden Café is open every day and catered events regularly take place at the church.
St Mary's spokesman confirmed the church was "open as usual and would continue to welcome visitors to the University Church".
The church, which is situated on the north side of the High Street, is the centre from where the University of Oxford grew.
The church’s vicar is the Revd Dr William Lamb, who read Theology at Balliol College and returned to Oxford in 2017.
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