THESE photos show the aftermath of a devastating fire in a city laundry as the owner vows to bounce back from the raging inferno which gutted the business.
The owner at Priory Dry Cleaners and Laundry in Everoak Industrial Estate, Bromyard Road in St John's, Worcester has this week expressed his determination to recover from a catastrophic fire.
The fire broke out in the early hours of Friday with seven fire engines and an aerial ladder platform used to bring the inferno under control.
Although the stench of smoke still hangs in the air and cages are full of charred laundry, everywhere is a hive of activity as staff, described as one big family by the owner, work together to get the business back on its feet.
A gaping hole remains in the roof where the fire tore through the structure, testament to the inferno's ferocity. The blaze happened at around 4.40am as the team work to get the business up and running during what is considered the 'busy season' in the laundry trade.
Ishty Lone, the owner and manager, hopes normal service can be resumed within six to eight weeks at the business which carries out domestic laundry but also bigger contracts on behalf of the police, the Army, hotels and even the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The 52-year-old, who has been in the business for 30 years, said: "Our employees are passionate. They are ready to help, working with their employer day and night. I'm very proud of my staff. The employees are family and we treat them as family.
"People are working really hard. A lot of staff have been affected. We are trying our best. If you're not determined, if you let your emotions take over, you're not going to do the job right.
"Other laundries are also helping us just as we help other laundries. Our customers have also been very understanding. Things are delayed. But they are okay with that."
Mr Lone and his team are particularly proud of the work they did during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, creating a system in which items were sent to them in sealed bags and returned in sealed bags and 'not one bag was lost'. They even created their own scanning system to ensure it was both secure and a success.
"It was a great honour for us and a great honour for Worcester," said Mr Lone.
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At the height of the incident, seven fire engines and around 40 firefighters were at the scene of the fire with an aerial ladder platform used to quell the flames after the 999 call came in.
The response of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service meant the fire did not spread to neighbouring businesses including Worcester Bowl and Stonemasons of Worcester.
At the height of the incident, Bromyard Road was closed by police and a 'caution' was placed on train services because the fire was so close to the railway line as train drivers were warned to slow down.
We have approached Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service to see if fire investigators have confirmed the official cause of the fire.
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