Freezer causes fire in Hampshire Co-op store

 Jan 2013

Investigators believe that a faulty freezer may have been the cause of a serious fire at a Co-operative store in Hampshire on Saturday January 5th.
The blaze broke out inside the retail outlet in Waterlooville at around 2.50pm and staff immediately called the emergency services after seeing smoke issuing from the back of a freezer unit.
More than 30 firefighters from Waterlooville, Horndean, Cosham and Southsea arrived on the scene to find the single-storey building well alight.
They used four sets of breathing apparatus, four water jets and an aerial ladder platform in their efforts to extinguish the flames.
At one point they had to withdraw from the building over fears that the roof would collapse.
Tony Deacon, group manager at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We have seen from fires in similar shops in this area how quickly the roof can be compromised.
"Our initial crews on the scene reported all members of the public had been evacuated from the building and we then quickly withdrew our initial crew due to the concern over the roof.
"The roof then collapsed once the flames got into the roof space and we were left to tackle the fire from outside the building."
The store was completely destroyed by the blaze, but fortunately no one was seriously injured.
Three people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene and one of them was later taken to hospital as a precaution.
It comes as the London Fire Brigade is warning of the dangers of fridges and freezers with regard to fire safety, pointing out that modern appliances contain large amounts of plastic and highly flammable insulation, causing large fires that spread quickly.
"London Fire Brigade wants to see tougher standards so that the highly flammable insulation in fridges and freezers is better protected from fire," said deputy commissioner Rita Dexter.
"In the meantime, our advice is that if people notice any strange noises coming from their fridge or freezer, they should call the manufacturer or an electrical repair expert immediately."

From FIA

Remember to have PAT Testing carried out regularly on all your electrical appliances.