Fire wipes out cheese packing site
THE MAJOR blaze at the Butlers Farmhouse Cheese facility in Longridge on November 6th required 60 firefighters and 10 appliances to bring under control.
Image Credit: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
While the company’s dairy was not impacted due to being on a separate site, its office and packing site was destroyed in the blaze. For the cheese-producing business, which has a turnover of £18.5 million, this has the potential for significant business disruption, as the packing facility will have to be replaced or rebuilt and staff will need to be redeployed.
Business Sprinkler Alliance chair Iain Cox, says: “The business that suffered the devastating fire was not required under current building regulations to have sprinklers installed.
“Acting quickly to quell the spread of fire when it is first detected aids fire safety, limits damage and minimises impacts. Sprinklers have been shown to be effective to contain, control or extinguish fires in 99% of cases when caused to operate. Installing sprinklers would have protected these businesses in the long run.”
For more information, visit www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org
