Arson fear for shop blaze
A fire believed to have been started by arsonists almost put a Stafford curtain-making shop out of business.
The fire – which started in a wheelie bin outside a neighbouring garage – set alight a second floor window at the rear of Not Just Curtains in Crooked Bridge Road.
The blaze caused smoke damage to the whole of the second floor and the damage is estimated at hundreds of pounds.
It broke out in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Fire crews were sent to help tackle the flames at the three-storey building – next to a Murco petrol station – at around 2.30am.
The cause of the fire – which spread to cover an area measuring 30 metres by 10 metres – is still under investigation, and scenes of crime officers were at the damaged shop in Crooked Bridge Road yesterday.
The blaze broke out on a night that also saw a series of suspicious bin fires in Stafford town centre.
At 1.15am there was a bin fire behind the Pizza Express restaurant in Market Square, followed by a second in Salter Street at 1.29am.
Fire crews were alerted to the blaze at Not Just Curtains at 2.22am, and a further skip fire was reported in Marston Drive at 2.36am.
The fire service said it was not possible to link the incidents.
Crew manager Mike Burnside said: "There was a series of fires in Stafford overnight on Saturday. We can't say that they are linked in any way, but they do appear to follow a pattern over a specific period of time."
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Bridgette Jolley, one of the directors of the business, said: "We were all in a state of shock yesterday following the fire, but we have got to soldier on and get up and running again.
"All orders will be met and we are going to be looking to set up in temporary premises until the building is fit for use.
"We will be contacting all of our customers today and keeping them informed as to what is happening."
They are still operating although the front entrance is closed today.
Crew manager Mike Burnside said: "Somebody called the fire service at around 2.30am after noticing smoke and flames from the building. The petrol switch at the garage was isolated as a safety precaution. The fire was brought under control quite quickly, but crews remained at the scene until around 4.30am.
"Firefighters went into the building to take up floorboards and knock walls through where the flames had got behind them."
A new telephone number has been set up - 01785 250887.
