Coolkit Ltd, Burnley, Lancashire

In Farrington Place, Burnley, a catastrophic fire destroyed the core distribution facility of Coolkit Ltd., a Blackburn-based manufacturer of temperature-controlled vehicles.

Initially sparked by the accidental ignition of flammable chemicals, the 80s-built depot, which had minimal design redundancy, quickly succumbed to the intense heat of the flames, leading to complete structural collapse.

Fortunately, no one was injured or hurt. The incident seriously affected the business’s ability to function and operate, so they needed to act fast to address the situation, turning to our Leeds-based team of fire-specialist structural engineers for support.

Our initial task was to ensure the facility was safe and a clear pathway available to allow a delicate forensic investigation, to determine the fire’s origin, ensuring key evidence was preserved without further compromising the site’s integrity.

Next, the team moved on to direct the complete demolition and removal of remaining assets, ensuring the site was cleared for rebuild before being appointed to spearhead and oversee the subsequent reconstruction phase. Not only did we restore the building, we also improved its resilience to prevent a similar occurrence in the future, while boosting its green credentials through sustainable specification.