A FIRE at the empty building next to the Apollo Bingo hall in Rhyl is believed to have been caused by a discarded cigarette.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene at about 7.45pm on Friday evening (July 31).
Staff and customers at Apollo were evacuated after the fire broke out.
In a statement video posted to social media, a spokesperson for Apollo Bingo said they had been "very fortunate" that the blaze had broken out in a shop area which isn't part of the premises.
A fire service spokesperson said: "We received a call at 7.42pm on Friday, July 31 to reports of a building fire on High Street, Rhyl.
"Firefighters from Rhyl, Denbigh, Abergele and Colwyn Bay attended the incident, which was brought under control by 9.30pm the same evening.
"The fire is believed to have been caused by a discarded cigarette.
"This incident serves as an important reminder to dispose of smoking materials responsibly.
"Cigarettes should be fully extinguished and disposed of in a suitable bin or ashtray.
"Never discard lit cigarettes from windows, balconies, or in areas where they could come into contact with combustible materials.
"The prolonged spell of dry weather in recent weeks has significantly increased the risk of fire, with dry vegetation, litter and other materials becoming more susceptible to ignition and allowing fires to spread more quickly.
"Even a single discarded cigarette can have serious consequences, putting people, property and businesses at risk.
"We would encourage everyone to take extra care when smoking outdoors and to ensure smoking materials are fully extinguished before being disposed of safely."
A North Wales Police spokesperson added: "We were called at 7.52pm to assist colleagues at North Wales Fire and Rescue Service with crowd control at the scene of a fire in the Apollo Bingo building near to the Vale Road Bridge, Rhyl.
"As a precaution, Brighton Road was closed to traffic until the fire was extinguished."
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