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At 2pm on Tuesday 20th September 2005, I was showing 2 members of our staff from our Andover depot around our facilities in Bournemouth. We were just entering the main entrance of our laundry in Winton when I was greeted by my Operations Director, Ian. As he approached me I became aware of the mass of staff that had collected in the yard to the side of the building. A small fire had started following an electrical wire arc-ing. Ian and another Manager had managed to put the fire out and little damage had occurred but within 2 minutes of the fire starting, all staff had been evacuated to the muster point and the fire brigade were on their way. The fire brigade were brilliant. They arrived within five minutes of the call and spent the next hour damping the area and checking for hot spots with infra red heat seeking equipment.
All the time the 70 staff employed at that site remained in the yard whilst fire officers diligently searched for potential hot spots and I walked the factory with the chief fire officer looking at potential future hazards that we could eliminate. All the while I was getting more agitated that I was paying 70 staff to stand around whilst our production was getting further behind. I was discussing the merits of removing a false ceiling in the centre of the factory when we heard a telling and frightening crackling sound above our heads. The Fire Chief called to an officer to get a ladder up into the ceiling void. As the officer lifted the ceiling panel, his whole body tensed as he dropped from the ladder to the ground and shouted “Get out now, she’s going!” These guys know what’s coming but I am a business man and all I could think of was what I could take with me as I left the building. £1000’s of customers work and equipment was all I could see as the Fire Chief pulled me towards the exit. Within 45 minutes the whole building had burnt to the ground.
Matthew Barker
Managing Director
Barker Group
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