Rising from the ashes

Staff at HE Services' Liverpool depot are back in business, working from their damaged offices at Merton Road in St Helens.

As reported in last week's Contract Journal, fire swept through the building early in the morning of 10 May but, according to depot manager Karl Owen, the major part of the devastation was caused by exploding gas bottles in the workshop which was destroyed.

The explosion was so loud it awoke firefighters on night shift at the local fire station three-quarters of a mile away, but they then had to wait a few minutes for the exact location to be pin-pointed.

By the time they arrived at the scene the building was ablaze.

The exact cause of the fire has not yet been discovered, but police are not ruling out the possibility that it was started deliberately.

In addition to the devastation reported in last week's CJ, a telehandler and several wheeled excavators were damaged.

Fortunately the fire struck at a busy period so most of the machinery was out on hire.

With the workshop and all its equipment reduced to a pile of rubble, fitters are now working in the open yard, despite some heavy rain. Owen said: "At least it keeps the dust down."

A phone line has been installed (01744 453466) and business is continuing as usual, said Owen.

HE installed a central computer system last year and records of hires and machines from every depot are now stored electronically at HE's head office. This means there should be no disruption to any hires.