A hair and beauty warehouse in Burgess Hill has suffered “significant structural damage” after afternoon (June 19). The fire, which saw a number of crews race to the industrial unit used by Capital Hair and Beauty, badly damaged the warehouse and took over 24 hours to bring under control.
It was reported by West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service that there were no injuries as a result of the incident. Capital Hair and Beauty have since confirmed that all employees were evacuated safely.
As the warehouse contained a number of flammable products such as hairspray, nearby evacuations were also carried out. Heavy smoke was spotted across the industrial estate and neighbouring residential areas as people were urged to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed.
READ MORE: Tribute paid to ‘amazing, loving’ grandad who died doing his 24th London to Brighton bike ride
An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, with the warehouse being significantly damaged and unsuitable for use. As a result, the beauty brand have said that alternative distribution centres have now been set up in various locations across the country to “help accommodate online orders” however there may be some delays over the next few days.
The brand have also confirmed that delivery is still available, however next day delivery will not be an option over the coming days. For people who need their order more quickly, they have been advised to shop instore or online with the option to use same day click & collect.
In a statement provided by Dave Harrison, Sales and Marketing Director at Capital Hair and Beauty, he said: “Sadly, we experienced a large fire at our warehouse at the Burgess Hill site on Monday which has caused significant structural damage. Naturally, the safety of our colleagues at the warehouse was, and continues to be, our main priority, and we want to praise them for their fast response when the fire broke out.
“This, combined with the health and safety protocols we have in place, led to no-one being injured, with everyone being evacuated from the site quickly and safely. We will be continuing to check in with these colleagues in the coming days and weeks to ensure their wellbeing.
“We’d also like to reassure our customers that we are working hard to minimise any disruption to orders, and have set up alternative distribution centres across the UK in order to help minimise disruption. That said, we may experience some delays due to the unexpected situation we find ourselves in, and with this in mind, we’re asking for understanding from our loyal customers regarding any potential delays to orders whilst we get ourselves back to normal.”
A spokesperson for the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed in their latest update that fire crews had now left the scene. They said: “We have now left the scene of this fire. Investigations into the cause remain ongoing.”
“Our Prevention and Protection teams will be visiting neighbouring businesses and properties over the coming days to provide fire safety guidance and answer any questions. Thank you to all businesses and residents for their patience and support while this incident was brought under control.”