Firefighters Contained “Challenging” Cafe Blaze in Dorchester

A firefighter detailed the efforts of crews to contain a “challenging” fire originating in a cafe and prevent its spread through an adjacent terrace. Antony Bholah, a group manager with Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue (DWFRS), oversaw 50 firefighters as a blaze consumed the historic Gorge Cafe located on South Street in Dorchester on Monday. The fire was observed extending across rooftops after the cafe’s front section collapsed into the street. Mr. Bholah stated that crews were deployed “through windows to cut in fire breaks to try and stop the fire spreading down the street.” According to Mr. Bholah, “In the early stages it was a really challenging job as it was quite windy.” He added that the wind “was driving the fire towards Trinity Street where there were a number of businesses that we were concerned about…. we had to put a lot of effort in to try and stop the fire spreading.” The historic Grade II listed building, notable as the place where novelist Thomas Hardy undertook his architectural training, was left severely damaged and charred following the blaze. A stone plaque, situated on the first-floor wall, indicated that the novelist and poet served as an apprentice architect under John Hicks from 1856 to 1862. This plaque is believed to have been entirely destroyed during the fire and subsequent collapse. “It’s really difficult at this stage to work out how the fire started,” Mr. Bholah commented. He added, “There will be a fire investigation process that will start very shortly once the building is safe and we’ll be able to look at the cause of the fire…. hopefully we should be able to establish what happened.” Due to the ongoing risk of collapse for the adjacent structures, a segment of South Street has been cordoned off. Dorset Council confirmed that this closure is expected to remain in effect for the foreseeable future. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.