SHOPPERS and traders were evacuated from Newport's indoor market yesterday after fire broke out above the premises.

The RAF and Army attended the blaze, discovered at a first floor council flat in Griffin Street at about 12.40pm yesterday.

Newport's indoor market, packed with lunchtime shoppers, was emptied by fire stewards when the alarm sounded.

A Red Goddess and a breathing apparatus rescue team (BART) vehicle from Raglan Barracks reached the scene in minutes.

One of the first into the smoked-filled building was soldier Alex Mainwaring, 22, of the Princess of Wales Regiment. After five weeks training he is part of the BART team, based at Raglan.

Private Mainwaring said: "I cut my hand breaking the glass in the door, it's just a scratch really. When we got the door open it was just a wall of smoke, we couldn't see anything. We went in to check for people and made sure it was clear and then checked the other flats before returning to put out the fire.

"It was a bit frightening at first, I haven't been inside a burning building before, but then the training takes over and you get on with it. I think the fire started in the living room." Red Goddess crew commander Corporal Rob Casey, 30, said: "I'm really pleased with everyone's performance, we were here very quickly. The operation room located the hydrant, the police escorted us and the crews were a mix of RAF and Army but everyone worked really well together."

The Raglan crew were joined by a BART crew from Grangetown in Cardiff who helped bring the blaze under control. An investigation into how the fire started is under way. Housing officers from Newport council, who own the building, arrived to advise the services and assess damage.

Council employee Sharon Wilkins said: "All the flats should be fitted with smoke alarms and the caretakers have recently been reminded of fire procedures and evacuations." Gino Rabaiotti, owner of John Henry's bar, opposite the site of the fire, said: "The first we knew was the alarm in the market going off and people pouring out. The RAF were here in minutes and seemed to know exactly what they were doing, I feel safer now I've seen them in action."

Council fire steward Dean Willetts said: "No-one panicked and it went smoothly. There are some flooded areas but they are cleaning up now."

A council spokeswoman said: "The market reopened within a few hours, apart from the High Street entrance which was shut for longer while a team assessed the minor damage. The flat is badly damaged, and there is some smoke and water damage in the corridor of the block."

PICTURED: Senior Aircraftsman Brian Doyle leads Private Alex Mainwaring into the building to tackle the fire.