'Horrific' fire at Grade II listed building

Firefighters from four stations in Essex were called to a derelict building fire in London Road, in Copford

A “horrific” fire which is being treated as arson ripped through an abandoned Grade II listed building leaving it badly damaged.

Firefighters from Colchester, Coggeshall, Chelmsford and Tiptree were called to a large derelict building in London Road, Copford, at 20:45 GMT on 18 November.

After arriving at the scene, four crews found the unstable structure – which was previously the Copford Place care home – completely engulfed in flames.

With the help of an aerial ladder platform, firefighters extinguished the blaze by midnight but remained at the scene overnight to ensure the area was completely safe.

The abandoned building was left badly damaged as a result of the fire, with one eyewitness saying it partially collapsed

The building, listed on the National Heritage List for England, was damaged by the fire, and an investigation into the cause will be carried out when it is safe to do so.

Crew manager Pete Woodiwiss said the firefighters had to tackle the blaze externally due to the instability of the building, which was covered in scaffolding.

He added: “Crews worked incredibly hard in challenging conditions.

“Access to the site was difficult, and water supply issues added to the complexity of the incident.

“Despite this, firefighters were able to bring the fire under control and extinguish it within a few hours.”

'Disaster'

Eyewitness Joffy Karippai said the consequence of the fire could have been much worse considering the site’s close proximity to the New Copford Place care home.

He said: “It was horrific and it could have been a disaster as there is a care home behind the building with elderly residents in it.

“Some of the building has collapsed but there are a lot of trees behind it, and dry leaves can spread fire, [so yes, it could have been much worse].”

Essex Police has now confirmed it is investigating reports of arson and "enquiries are ongoing".