Businesses were destroyed as Leicester was ravaged by two huge factory fires over the weekend.
The first fire broke out on Frisby Road at around midday on Saturday, and quickly spread to engulf five textile factory buildings. By the time the fire was under control and damping down underway, another broke out at the former Corah textiles plant off St John Street.
The separate incidents stretched Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service’s resources to capacity.
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the second fire at the Corah plant, while fire services have confirmed that the earlier fire was not suspicious.
Speaking with the Leicester Mercury, factory-owner Ramesh Chaunhan described how he saw a “wall of flames” shoot out of the Frisby Road factory as he was taking delivery of a parcel.
He said, "It spread so very fast. I have never seen anything like this. I was just praying that it did not spread to my factory.”
The blaze broke out in a knitwear factory, and by the time fire crews arrived had engulfed the ground and first floors. It eventually spread to affect a total of five factory buildings.
Six fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were needed to bring the fire under control and crews remained damping down until well into Sunday morning.
Business owners spoke of their devastation on Monday as they watched the remains of their businesses being demolished.
Mula Odera, who owned a clothing manufacturer on the ground floor said, "As they tear up the factory it is like they are tearing out my heart.”
In the second incident at the Corah plant, another aerial ladder platform was required, with support from 8 appliances at the height of the blaze. The ground and first floors of the 3-storey building were well alight by the time crews arrived.
The building was completely destroyed, but fortunately none of the surrounding businesses were affected.
No one was hurt in either incident.
