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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/feb/06/ocado-says-fire-at-warehouse-will-hit-sales-growth-and-orders
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| Houses and industrial estate evacuated due to Ocado warehouse fire | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Hampshire industrial estate and nearby homes are being evacuated because of the risk of poisoning or explosion after a major fire at an Ocado warehouse. | |
| As smoke continued to billow from the site in Andover on Wednesday evening, more than 36 hours after the incident began, the fire spread to a new part of the building and firefighters evacuated properties up to a mile away. A rest centre has been set up at Harrow Way community school two miles away. | As smoke continued to billow from the site in Andover on Wednesday evening, more than 36 hours after the incident began, the fire spread to a new part of the building and firefighters evacuated properties up to a mile away. A rest centre has been set up at Harrow Way community school two miles away. |
| “We have a risk of a toxic release or a large cylinder explosion,” said the deputy chief fire officer of Hampshire fire and rescue service, Andy Bowers. “There is a phased evacuation of Walworth industrial estate taking place as a precaution and a rest centre has been set up. | “We have a risk of a toxic release or a large cylinder explosion,” said the deputy chief fire officer of Hampshire fire and rescue service, Andy Bowers. “There is a phased evacuation of Walworth industrial estate taking place as a precaution and a rest centre has been set up. |
| “We are working extremely closely with all of our partners to keep the public safe.” | “We are working extremely closely with all of our partners to keep the public safe.” |
| We are currently evacuating properties in the 500-metre exclusion zone of the #OcadoFire, #Andover. Those outside this zone should stay put unless instructed otherwise. For the latest updates follow social media and local press #Ocado https://t.co/CPvWHr1UT7 | We are currently evacuating properties in the 500-metre exclusion zone of the #OcadoFire, #Andover. Those outside this zone should stay put unless instructed otherwise. For the latest updates follow social media and local press #Ocado https://t.co/CPvWHr1UT7 |
| The blaze broke out at about 2.45am on Tuesday and spread overnight, causing substantial damage, the fire service said. It was initially believed to have been contained but continued through Tuesday night and into Wednesday evening. More than 20 fire engines and 200 firefighters have been tackling the blaze. | The blaze broke out at about 2.45am on Tuesday and spread overnight, causing substantial damage, the fire service said. It was initially believed to have been contained but continued through Tuesday night and into Wednesday evening. More than 20 fire engines and 200 firefighters have been tackling the blaze. |
| Ocado was unable to say when deliveries would resume from the Hampshire facility, one of its automated warehouses, as it issued a warning to the stock market that its sales growth would take a hit from the blaze. The company’s online grocery service is expected to face significant disruption for some weeks. | Ocado was unable to say when deliveries would resume from the Hampshire facility, one of its automated warehouses, as it issued a warning to the stock market that its sales growth would take a hit from the blaze. The company’s online grocery service is expected to face significant disruption for some weeks. |
| Neil Odin, the chief fire officer of Hampshire fire and rescue service, said the fire had started in the racking system inside the building, which is designed for robots and automation, making the emergency service’s job harder. | Neil Odin, the chief fire officer of Hampshire fire and rescue service, said the fire had started in the racking system inside the building, which is designed for robots and automation, making the emergency service’s job harder. |
| “This building is not meant for humans to be interacting with the racking and the storage – it has robots moving racking on to loading bays, so for firefighters trying to get in that high and to make an effective fire-fighting strategy, it has been very difficult.” | “This building is not meant for humans to be interacting with the racking and the storage – it has robots moving racking on to loading bays, so for firefighters trying to get in that high and to make an effective fire-fighting strategy, it has been very difficult.” |
| The site processes about 30,000 orders a week, mainly for people living in the south-west of the UK, and it will only be possible to divert some of these to Ocado’s three other distribution plants. | The site processes about 30,000 orders a week, mainly for people living in the south-west of the UK, and it will only be possible to divert some of these to Ocado’s three other distribution plants. |
| Huge fire at Ocado's Hampshire warehouse brought under control | Huge fire at Ocado's Hampshire warehouse brought under control |
| “While we are informed by the fire brigade that it is now under control, during the night part of the roof collapsed and there has been substantial damage to the majority of the building and its contents,” the group said. | “While we are informed by the fire brigade that it is now under control, during the night part of the roof collapsed and there has been substantial damage to the majority of the building and its contents,” the group said. |
| “Once we have had time to assess the damage and prepare a plan to return the customer fulfilment centre to operation, we will update further as appropriate.” | “Once we have had time to assess the damage and prepare a plan to return the customer fulfilment centre to operation, we will update further as appropriate.” |
| The Andover warehouse provides about 10% of Ocado’s delivery capacity. “As a result of this incident there will be a constraint on our ability to meet our growing customer demand and there will be a reduction in sales growth until we can increase capacity elsewhere,” the group warned. | The Andover warehouse provides about 10% of Ocado’s delivery capacity. “As a result of this incident there will be a constraint on our ability to meet our growing customer demand and there will be a reduction in sales growth until we can increase capacity elsewhere,” the group warned. |
| Ocado’s warehouses in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Dordon in Warwickshire and Erith in south-east London continue to operate. | Ocado’s warehouses in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Dordon in Warwickshire and Erith in south-east London continue to operate. |
| The company said no one had been injured as a result of the fire and it had “comprehensive” insurance for the property, stock and equipment on site, and for business interruption losses. It added 870 staff who had been working at Andover would continue to be paid until further notice. | The company said no one had been injured as a result of the fire and it had “comprehensive” insurance for the property, stock and equipment on site, and for business interruption losses. It added 870 staff who had been working at Andover would continue to be paid until further notice. |
| The warehouse is thought to contain as much as £6m of stock, which was mainly handled by 600 robots that have been developed by Ocado as part of a highly automated grocery delivery system it is contracted to build for retailers around the world. | The warehouse is thought to contain as much as £6m of stock, which was mainly handled by 600 robots that have been developed by Ocado as part of a highly automated grocery delivery system it is contracted to build for retailers around the world. |
| Shares in the FTSE 100 company closed down more than 6% after the sales warning. The warehouse handles more than 4,000 orders a day and uses hundreds of robots to select groceries from boxes stored in a 3D frame called the grid. | Shares in the FTSE 100 company closed down more than 6% after the sales warning. The warehouse handles more than 4,000 orders a day and uses hundreds of robots to select groceries from boxes stored in a 3D frame called the grid. |
| One retail analyst, James Lockyer of Peel Hunt, said the fire damage was likely to have a “substantial impact” on customer experience at Ocado and “while it is covered by insurance, could do lasting damage over at least the next 12 months”. | One retail analyst, James Lockyer of Peel Hunt, said the fire damage was likely to have a “substantial impact” on customer experience at Ocado and “while it is covered by insurance, could do lasting damage over at least the next 12 months”. |
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