Fire-hit Finedon caravan company boss vows 'we will rebuild'

A fire ripped through the caravan repair area on Friday, July 8
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‘We will rebuild’ – that’s the vow of the manager of Finedon’s The Caravan Company after a blaze ripped through a yard at the Irthlingborough Road premises.

The fire that started in a large wheelie bin spread quickly, with flames fanned by a stiff breeze and tinder-dry conditions causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage.

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At the height of the blaze, six fire crews battled to keep the flames from spreading further into neighbouring properties.

The Finedon Caravan Company in Irthlingborough Road, FinedonThe Finedon Caravan Company in Irthlingborough Road, Finedon
The Finedon Caravan Company in Irthlingborough Road, Finedon

General manager Matt Taylor dashed to the site from his Burton Latimer home after the alarm had been raised by neighbours.

He said: “As I drove on the A6 I could see a huge plume of black smoke and my heart sank. That’s not what you expect or want to see.

"I opened the gates for the fire brigade and I ran to the gas cages. I had to smash the lock. The flames were coming that way.

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“Any explosions people heard were the tyres on the caravans bursting.”

A commercial bin combusted in the workshop yard of The Caravan Company's lotA commercial bin combusted in the workshop yard of The Caravan Company's lot
A commercial bin combusted in the workshop yard of The Caravan Company's lot
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Mr Taylor went to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

He said: “It’s a very sad incident but the fire brigade were magnificent. It was a terrible accident. We are going to rebuild. It’s now with our insurers.”

A total of 17 caravans were affected including some receiving repairs under warranty, and new caravans that were waiting to be collected by customers.

The Caravan Company is back open for businessThe Caravan Company is back open for business
The Caravan Company is back open for business
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Replacements have been found so people can still go on holiday.

Mr Taylor said: “The key thing is that no people were hurt. We have gone through all the emotions. We want to get back up and running and we have just got to work together to put it right.”

The company had reviewed its storage and is to make ‘active changes’ following the blaze in the large wheelie bin that ‘self combusted’.

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Offers of help for the company have been pouring in both locally and nationally. All 15 members of staff have been rallying round the clock to help.

Mr Taylor added: “We have got to make sure this never happens again. We will rebuild for us and for our neighbours.

“Thank God for the fire brigade. They were fantastic.”

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