Blaze Wipes Out Half Fashion Giants' Stock
By Karen Bale
A massive blaze destroyed half of a fashion chain's entire stock, bosses revealed yesterday. Discount giants Primark have been forced to place extra orders with European suppliers after the fire destroyed a huge warehouse.
Primark, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods, have more than 120 stores in Britain and Ireland, selling clothes, they say, to "young fashion conscious under-35s". They have become a key player in the High Street and recently unveiled expansion plans.
Associated British Foods said: "The impact on Primark UK is currently being assessed.
"Primark are fully insured both for stock and business interruption. Alternative arrangements are being made to continue the supply to the UK stores.
"It's estimated that half of the stock in hand in the UK is located elsewhere."
An ABF spokesman said extra orders were already being placed with suppliers to replenish the stock.
Chris Stephenson, divisional managing director of TNT Fashion, who owned the warehouse said: "Thanks to our well practised safety procedures, staff were evacuated quickly and no one was hurt."
The emergency services were called out to the fire at about 7pm on Tuesday.
Some 70 firefighters were called to tackle the flames, which spread rapidly through the steel constructed building and an adjacent two-storey office block A fire and rescue service spokesman said: "It was full of clothes so it was obviously going to spread very quickly.
"It's pretty much 100 per cent damage to the building but fortunately no one was injured.
"It was a very intense and severe fire.
"We are obviously investigating why it started so quickly and what the cause of the fire is.
"That will take some time."
Last night, police said they were also investigating the cause of the blaze
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