Cause of fire believed to have been ‘accidental’
INVESTIGATORS SAY WETMORE ROAD INCIDENT WAS SPARKED ACCIDENTALLY
FIRE investigators have concluded their investigation into the cause of a devastating fire which tore through a historic former brewery building in Burton.
Three sections of the roof at the Anderstaff Maltings building, off Wetmore Road, sustained heavy damage with one section having completely collapsed.
Shocked onlookers to the large fire, which should be seen across the town, later commented that it was like watching some of Burton’s brewing history going up in smoke, as the fire raged on through the roof of the imposing building.
Firefighters spent most of Bank Holiday Monday fighting the blaze, which was not brought under control until around 8pm that night.
When the Burton Mail visited the site on Tuesday, emergency crews were still looking for any “hot spots” in the building to confirm there were no embers remaining that might reignite the fire.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has now revealed the fire was started accidentally.
A spokesman said: “Firefighters were called at noon on Monday, August 30, to The Maltings, in Wetmore Road, Burton, following reports of smoke issuing from the roof. Crews from Burton, Tutbury, Needwood, Lichfield, Cannock, the aerial ladder platform from Burton and an aerial from Longton, along with the water carrier from Cheadle, attended.
“No-one was reported injured.
“Firefighters pumped water from the nearby River Trent, using the aerial ladder platform while a number of breathing apparatus and a hose reel jets were used to extinguish the fire.
“A crew from Burton remained at the scene dampening down and conducting thermal scans of hot spots. “An investigation concluded on Tuesday, August 31, and confirmed that the fire started accidentally.”
The Burton Mail has asked for more details on what caused the accident.
Burton historian Ian Webster said the Anderstaff Maltings were built by Bass, Ratcliff and Gretton between 1862 and 1864. Since the building’s closure, a new owner was converting the building into flats.
The Burton Mail revealed in 2017 that plans for The Maltings, formerly the Bass Maltings, had been approved to turn the site into 182 apartments catering for residents of all ages.
Applicant Burton upon Trent Developments had applied to East Staffordshire Borough Council for permission to make the changes which will see a total of 52 one-bedroom flats, and 126 two-bedroom flats over a 7,405 sq m total floorspace.
Much work had taken place at the premises before the fire.
An investigation concluded and confirmed that the fire started accidentally.
Staffs Fire spokesman