In the early hours of the morning, a fire broke out at the site of a former psychiatric hospital where some of the UK’s most notorious criminals were held. The incident occurred on Chaplains Hill in Crowthorne, Berkshire. Flames were seen in one derelict building just after 09:30 BST. According to the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, a well-developed fire was discovered in the building, which firefighters are expected to remain on the scene for some time in order to deal with.
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service stated that no injuries had been reported. The fire service also confirmed that the blaze was located not at the current hospital site, and there was no risk to patients and staff. The fire service announced that around 40 firefighters were working exceptionally hard to extinguish the fire. People in the surrounding area have been warned to stay clear of the site, and they have been told to keep their windows and doors securely shut.
Thames Valley Police officers were also dispatched to the scene promptly. Built-in 1863, the building was the country’s first asylum for the criminally insane. After a hundred and fifty years of operations, it closed down in 2019 and staff moved patients to the £250m high-security site for men detained under the Mental Health Act, the new Broadmoor Hospital. Prior to its closure, high-profile criminals like Ronnie Kray and serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, among others, stayed at the hospital. The building is Grade II-listed and is the country’s first asylum for the criminally insane
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