Owner of garden supply firm counts cost of massive blaze in Braunstone Frith

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Sunningdale

Firefighters at the scene of the blaze in Sunningdale Road and Allen Way

The owner of a family run garden supply firm says he will ‘get back on his feet’ following a serious blaze in the early hours of this morning.

Sunningdale Landscape Supplies, along with a reclamation yard next door, in Allen Way, Braunstone Frith, are counting the cost today after a massive fire broke out at around 2.30am.

The fire, which took four crews to bring under control, is thought to have started in or near the reclamation yard. At least 13 cars there have been destroyed.

Two crane lorries and a fork truck owned by Sunningdale Garden Supplies, which borders the scrapyard have also been gutted by fire.

  Owner Philip Smith, who runs the business with his wife and son, said: “My wife who is away, got a text message from a friend of a friend on night shift around here to say there was a fire. She got in touch with me and I raced down to find the fire had really taken hold at about 5.30am this morning.

“We still have no idea how much stock has been lost because the firefighters won’t let us down that end, but it’s going to be thousands.

“This is our busy season coming up when the sun comes out and people get out in their gardens. but we’ll find a way to carry on. We’ve already made some phone calls and some friends will be helping us get back on our feet again. We’ve been here 30 years so this is a massive hit for us because we’re only small, but we’ll carry on.”

A garage bordering the reclamation yard, also had a lucky escape.

The owner, who didn’t wish to give his name said: “It only caught the corner slightly so I feel very lucky.”

Another man who said he used to take his cars to the reclamation yard said: “I’d bring them here to get fixed. This is shocking.”

Watch manager Steve Willatt from Western Fire Station in the city, was among the first on the scene.

He said around 25 firefighters tackled the blaze at one point.

“The fire was fully developed by the time we got here. Around 80 per cent of the reclamation yard has gone and about 70 per cent of the garden firm has been destroyed,” he said.

“We had to use a main jet, hose reels and an aerial appliance to bring it under control. There were also about half a dozen propane cylinders which had to be made safe too.

“Firefighters worked very hard to get it under control and stop it from spreading even further.”

The fire was eventually brought under control just before 7.30am. However, one crew from Western remained at the scene afterwards.

Firefighters are currently investigating the cause of the blaze.

source”indiatoday”