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Fire at former Kent Wool Growers in Tannery Lane, Ashford, treated as suspicious

10:26, 01 March 2023

updated: 14:55, 01 March 2023

A fire which broke out in a derelict building at an abandoned site is being treated as suspicious.

Crews attended reports of a blaze at the former Kent Wool Growers site in Tannery Lane, Ashford, last night.

A fire which broke out at the former Kent Wool Growers in Tannery Lane, Ashford, is being classed as suspicious
A fire which broke out at the former Kent Wool Growers in Tannery Lane, Ashford, is being classed as suspicious

Two fire engines attended at 9.30pm and crews wearing breathing apparatus used hose reel jets to put out the fire.

The blaze included a quantity of paper and cardboard and the cause is believed to be suspicious.

No injuries were reported and crews left the scene just over an hour later.

The site in Ashford was also torched in 2019, causing the roof of the shop to collapse.

The major blaze four years ago sparked a huge emergency service response, with five fire engines and a height vehicle attending the scene.

The fire at the Kent Wool Growers site in 2019. Picture: Barry Goodwin
The fire at the Kent Wool Growers site in 2019. Picture: Barry Goodwin

Kent Wool Growers closed in Ashford in 2017 after going into administration after suffering a downturn in both retail and account sales, putting pressure on its cashflow.

The farming retailer had been trading in the town for almost100 years after opening in 1920 with 73 members.

In 2019, plans to turn the site into 243 flats across four apartment blocks were approved, but work is still yet to begin.

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