Dramatic scenes as fire tears through Saxonvale warehouse

Daisy Steel
2 days ago
2 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Frome residents watched in shock on Wednesday afternoon as flames ripped through one of the town’s industrial buildings at the Saxonvale site.

Smoke visible across the town

Towering plumes of smoke could be seen across Frome as firefighters battled the blaze at the long-derelict three-storey warehouse on Kingsway. A large safety cordon was put in place while crews tackled the fire, with nearby residents advised to keep their doors and windows closed because of the smoke.

The incident prompted concerns about the possible presence of asbestos within the ageing industrial building. As a precaution, emergency services urged people to avoid the area and follow public health advice while crews worked to bring the fire under control.

A landmark with a long history

For many, the fire was a sobering sight. Although the warehouse has stood empty for many years, it remains a reminder of Frome's rich industrial heritage and has been a familiar landmark throughout the long-running discussions over the future of the Saxonvale regeneration site.

Crowds gathered throughout the afternoon to watch the emergency response, while social media quickly filled with photographs and videos showing the scale of the blaze. Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries.

Questions over Saxonvale's future

The fire comes at a significant moment for the future of Saxonvale. The 12-acre brownfield site is currently being marketed for sale after years of debate over its redevelopment.

At the same time, Mayday Saxonvale has launched a community share offer in a bid to raise funds towards purchasing the site, with the aim of bringing it into community ownership. The group says its vision would create one of the UK's largest community-led regeneration projects, preserving key historic buildings while delivering new homes and community facilities.

Cause yet to be established

Whether Wednesday's dramatic fire will have any impact on those plans remains to be seen. For now, the priority is making the site safe, establishing the cause of the blaze and assessing the damage.