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Fire at Barnsley ASOS fashion warehouse 'deliberate' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A fire which caused an online fashion retailer to cease trading is being treated as arson, police have said. | |
The fire at the ASOS distribution centre near Grimethorpe, Barnsley broke out at about 22:00 BST on Friday. | |
South Yorkshire Police said the incident was being treated as deliberate following initial investigations with the fire service. | |
The blaze at Park Spring Road caused "substantial damage" and has forced the company to stop taking orders. | |
More than 60 firefighters tackled the blaze overnight and about 500 people were evacuated from the five-storey building. | |
On a holding page on its website, ASOS said: "We have pressed pause on the ASOS website, this is due to a fire in our Barnsley distribution centre in the early hours of Saturday. | On a holding page on its website, ASOS said: "We have pressed pause on the ASOS website, this is due to a fire in our Barnsley distribution centre in the early hours of Saturday. |
"Thankfully no-one was hurt and we expect to be back to normal for you in the next day or so." | "Thankfully no-one was hurt and we expect to be back to normal for you in the next day or so." |
Overnight back-up | Overnight back-up |
The blaze is believed to have spread from the second floor to the third and fourth floors. | The blaze is believed to have spread from the second floor to the third and fourth floors. |
Ten fire engines, including three from West Yorkshire Fire service, were drafted in to help overnight. | Ten fire engines, including three from West Yorkshire Fire service, were drafted in to help overnight. |
The Barnsley warehouse is the company's major global distribution centre. | |
It has other facilities in the US, China and Australia but most orders go through Barnsley. | |
In a statement, the company said no new orders were currently being taken and existing orders yet to be shipped, would also be delayed. | In a statement, the company said no new orders were currently being taken and existing orders yet to be shipped, would also be delayed. |
It is understood the warehouse contains more than 10 million boxes of packaging. | It is understood the warehouse contains more than 10 million boxes of packaging. |
Simon Rodgers, Investigating Fire Officer for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said: "The fire involved four floors of the warehouse and the blaze was contained in the area of origin by firefighters. | |
"ASOS staff had a good evacuation process in place which assisted the emergency services and allowed the fire to be brought under control more quickly." |