Crews tackle blaze with firefighting robot

The service said it was called to Alexandra Road in Margate on Saturday morning

Firefighters tackled a blaze which broke out at an industrial unit in Margate on Saturday with a firefighting robot.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) said it was called to Alexandra Road just before 05:00 GMT and evacuated residents from nearby properties.

The service said it had used its firefighting robot for the first time and it "performed really well".

Earlier advice for people to avoid the area has now been lifted.

The robot can be operated from 600m (1,968ft) away and can spray 2,000 litres of water per minute.

The technology, which resembles a bomb disposal robot, can be controlled remotely with a monitor, detect fire hotspots and climb stairs.

There were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire remains unknown.

KFRS group manager James Kirk said: "At the height of the incident, KFRS evacuated the local residents from the nearby properties and we're now supporting them in returning back to their property."

KFRS expects to be at the scene for most of the day, he added.