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Update: Ruxley Manor Garden Centre blaze

Published: 27 April 2009
Read the statement released by Ruxley Manor management concerning Sunday's devestating fire.
Update: Ruxley Manor Garden Centre blaze
More than 60 firefighters battled a blaze at Ruxley Manor Garden Centre in Sidcup On Sunday last week after a fire broke out in the early afternoon.

A 300m cordon was set up around the centre and part of the A20 closed because of gas canisters in the site.

The fire, which completely destroyed the centre's warehousing, including the majority of the stock, as brought under control by early evening, and, according to reports, is being treated as an accident.

Speaking to DIY Week on Monday morning, a spokesperson for the business said: "Ruxley Manor Garden Centre can confirm that a fire took place on site at approximately 2.30pm on Sunday April 26. The emergency services were called and the centre was evacuated quickly and with no injuries to customers or staff.

"Ruxley Manor management is working closely with the authorities to ascertain the cause of the fire and would like to thank the fire brigade, police and ambulance service for all their help in ensuring the situation was brought under control swiftly and safely.

"Much of the centre's stock was destroyed in the fire, but the centre has opened for business as usual this morning (Monday April 27) and the management is working to restore the full choice and range of services to its customers as swiftly and quickly as possible."

Comments

Published prior to March 2014
By joshua youell
i saw the smoke from swanley new barn railway it was thick black smoke and i thought it was birchwood golf club
Published prior to March 2014
By Brenda
I was also their on this particular day as i was celebrating my Birthday as a day out treat from my friend. we also didn't relise that a fire had broken out and were browsing for bargins. The first we knew of any alarm was a lady carrying her little girl saying "get me out of here my baby could die" I thought she was a bit strange and wondered was her child sick. But as everyone says their was no alarm, or any staff telling us to get out. Could have been a catastrophe. Eventually we did notice black smoke and though something was wrong, And one poor lady in her haste to get out fell badley and broke her nose and grased arms and kneas. But in the end we were not able to get out with our car, as the whole area was bloked solid, even the fire engines had trouble getting in.
Published prior to March 2014
By Dave
Seems like people were very lucky to escape having read reports of the lack of fire alarm, announcements.

I know Ruxley Manor have various other alarms Swimming pool, temperature alarms in the green houses etc. that go off all hours of the day & night annoying near by residents & waking them through out the night!

I knew they didn't care about the local residents but now it show they don't seem to care about their staff or customers!
Good Heavens Mr Evans
Published prior to March 2014
By carol
I can answer the question, on was the animals saved - thanks for the good staff and firemen, all the animals were saved- my son happens to work in the Aquatic dept, and returned with the. p firemen to save the animals.Please dont take any notice of the rumours-they never lost one.Wll done James and Chris for saving them
Published prior to March 2014
By Alex
I was just down the road from ruxley manor when the fire broke out the black smoke was in the road and you could hardly see but i am glad the centre has re-opened and what i want to know is if anyone was injured or killed. Good luck to ruxley for the future.
Published prior to March 2014
By Mandy Fenton
This is not about thefts or anything other than public safety. Don't mix matters up. This is not "well done Ruxley" - this is "well done Ruxley STAFF" and why did Ruxley's systems not work ? This could have been a lot more costly - I was there - the place was busy. We have to have fire alarms at work and know that they work. They have to be serviced regularly. This question cannot be swept under the carpet and I hope the authorities are investigating.
Published prior to March 2014
By James
As if the fire was not enough to contend with, not to mention the reports of attempted thefts by customers during the incident (!!), Ruxley now get this. I cannot believe how people are now trying to apportion blame to Ruxley Manor ref the alarms (or lack of). No doubt the investigation will shed some light on this so until then why speculate? Everyone was safely evacuated, with no injuries, so I say well done to Ruxley Manor and I hope it's back to business as usual before too long.
Published prior to March 2014
By Mandy Fenton
I note the comment 'From Staff' and as I said, they have my respect for the way they handled Sunday's fire - but where is the official Ruxley explanation for no fire alarms ? Its not good enough Ruxley - you have a duty of care to people visiting your site. Why did the alarms not go off ?
Published prior to March 2014
By Roger
Rachel, the centre said all animals were saved!
I drove past and the plume of smoke was enormous.
On the Fire Alarm issues not sure if the centre has an automatic system but any place where the public have access surley must have anutomatic fire detection. It madness to alow them to open if they do not have!
Remember, this is what happened when it was busy and the fire was noticed!
Published prior to March 2014
By dan
well,i was in the cafe havin a coffee,when i noticed the sky had gone very dark,i was expecting some thunder or heavy rain. instead what we were told to leave immediately as there was a fire.now this was scarey as the fire was well advanced by this time,i could smell smoke and others were commenting about this a while before the alarm was raised.There was no fire alarm and it became obvious that if there was a fire drill many of the staff were not familiar with the procedure.you know the fire was ferocious,and i feel that not only were the customers facing a significant risk of danger,so were the staff,so many so young and not trained to deal with the situation.Everyone then jumped in their cars and jammed up the highways making it difficult for the fire service to assess what action to take and get their engines close enough to fight the fire,having said all this i'm safe and i'm glad to hear that know one was seriously injured,but ruxley,please pay more atten...[comment was too long]
Published prior to March 2014
By Staff
Thankyou for the comment on the staff but however there were announcments constantly repeated but you may not of heard because of us shouting.
Published prior to March 2014
By hayley
hi there, the reason there was proberley no alarm or big announcements was proberley due to the fact the it is a well known fact if there was a big whoo har about the fire that people would have began to panick at the sound of an alarm or someone shouting FIRE over the tannoy, they dealt with it in a calm polite manor, which resulted in everyone getting out safely, without running, shouting or trampelling,which would have caused more problems
Glad everyone is safe, well done staff at Ruxley
Published prior to March 2014
By Rachel
My brothers bought 2 hamsters from there on Saturday - looks like they had a lucky escape...!
Does anyone know if the other animals were saved?
Published prior to March 2014
By Mandy Fenton
Why was there no alarm set off with the fire on Sunday. There were also no public announcements asking people to evacuate. Everything was left to the staff who were great - but this is not good enough surely ?

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