Garden Centre Warehouse Suffers Extensive Fire Damage

A fire service has reported that a substantial part of a garden centre’s warehouse has been destroyed by a major fire. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service indicated that it received an alert at 01:27 GMT, dispatching crews from 14 fire stations to The Old Well Garden Centre, situated near Uffculme in Devon. Upon their arrival, the service noted that the warehouse was fully engulfed in flames. The service further stated: “Crews have made steady progress through the night using hose reel jets, safety jets and an aerial ladder to control the fire. The incident is beginning to be scaled down as crews locate and dampen down hotspots.” Local residents are advised to keep their windows and doors shut due to the presence of smoke in the vicinity. The garden centre announced its closure for Saturday to allow for damage assessment. In a statement released on social media, it confirmed that outdoor display areas, the cafe, restaurant, gift shop, and food hall were undamaged. The statement added: “It’s been a tough day, a huge shock and a massive blow to our family business.” Nathan Brina, from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, commented: “Crews have done a fantastic job of protecting and stopping the spread of the fire into some of the remaining structures.” The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Rachel Gilmour, the MP for Tiverton and Minehead, expressed her sentiments on Facebook, writing: “I am saddened to hear about the fire at the Old Well Garden Centre that began in the early hours of this morning. “My thoughts go out to the owners, David and Christine, as well as to the rest of their team. “Thank you to the fire service and emergency teams for their speedy and brave assistance.” Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed their awareness of the fire but stated that their assistance was not required.