The Fire

The alarm for the fire was raised at approximately 1710hrs on Thursday 03 May 2007. Thankfully the majority of staff had already left the buildings and were making their way home for the evening. However, 15 employees were still inside the various buildings when the fire broke out. On hearing the fire alarm the remaining staff acted promptly and evacuated the buildings and gathered at the appointed assembly point.

Police, fire crew and ambulances were on the scene in minutes. Up to 120 fire firefighters got involved, some on aerial lifts, attacking the intense heat and flames with pressurised hoses and worked long into the evening. Plumes of smoke could be seen up to 15 miles away.

As the smoke cooled and started to descend over the local residential area the decision was taken to evacuate hundreds of residents from their homes.

It was not until 0300hrs on Friday 04 May was the fire brought under control, almost ten hours after it had started.